Shadows of Lylat
by Crackerjackthe4th
Summary: (Currently undergoing extensive rewriting) A speculative fiction, inspired by the prospect of Cornerian and Human interaction.Rich with psychological and sociological themes, symbolism, and character development, SoL remains true to the series while taking bold steps forward.
1. Foreword, Prologue, and Chapter 1

**Author's Note:  
****To skip to the prologue, ctrl+f: "Prologue: wrapping up", and to skip to Chapter 1, obviously ctrl+F: "Chapter 1".****  
**

**To avoid confusion, this document now includes the foreword, prologue AND Chapter 1 to ensure the actual chapters keep in line with 's own numbering system. Initially, this only included Foreword and Prologue, which set chapter 1 in the second slot.**

**Foreword:**

'Why,' you ask? I had a conversation with someone recently, and we got to talking about this fanfic. He didn't seem to understand the reason why I was writing this.

He was confused, you see, because he knew me in person before I started writing Shadows of Lylat. And before SoL, I ONLY ever wrote original works. Ever.

However exaggerated this may sound, (believe it or don't. I don't care.) I have twenty-plus original fictions. Not only are they stories, most of them are fully developed, full-fledged series with multiple sequels, long and intricate storylines, fully developed characters, etc. etc. While I had nothing against fanfiction, the very idea of me writing one was preposterous and inconceivable.

I used to see fanfics as ways for people to live their insipid fantasies. The reason for this was that more often than not such stories would feature various original characters today deemed as Mary/Gary Sues. You know the type: immediately upon introduction, these characters have everything going for them. They are invincible, intelligent, ultra sexy and deep, typically have dark pasts, (that alone I have nothing against, but a little variation would be nice.) and very conveniently…they always manage to come between the main character and his/her love interest.

In short: NOT ALL, but most are pretty much just self-pleasure.

To make a long story short, "fanfiction" to me used to have a connotation of "self-indulgence." While most of the ttime I gave writers the benefit of the doubt, I could never imagine myself writing a fan work. I would always stick with the stories I began back in the day, and continued to build upon those and add more to their ranks.

On the OTHER hand, I have always been tempted to figure out the backstories and explanations for various series. The first example would be Sonic the hedgehog. His was the first video game I ever laid hands on, the very first hero I have come to admire, the very first cartoon I ever became obsessed with. I wanted to know more, we ALL did, but Sega never provided the knowledge I sought. Naturally, I began to theorize on my own. Thus was born the inspiration for my writing career. My fantasies began to mature as I observed the world around me and I grew beyond other people's fictions. No longer did it satisfy me; I wanted to create my _own_ worlds. My own heroes and villains. My own epic stories. To this day I long to build a legacy of my own.  
And though all such 20-something works are my own, they carry inspiration (which, for my sake, I'd like to remind you is not the same as plagiarism) from the various series I grew up on. The main character in my flagship title, as a matter of fact, had his personality modeled after Sonic's.

Moving on.

As we all may or may not be aware of, Nintendo in particular has never been known for strong storylines. (except perhaps for Metroid, buuuut...)

As I said above, I'm constantly tempted to fill in the gaps these companies have left for the fans to fill. The most recent and intriguing series for me to analyze was, needless to say, **Star Fox.**

Let's face it. No one knows the full story behind ANYONE'S life in that series. There are so many plotholes and inconsistencies I couldn't help but obsess over it in recent days. So befuddled was I that I took up half of an entire notebook jotting down notes and theories. Another friend of mine, who saw the notes, happened to be a major Star Fox fan. He urged me to write a fanfiction, since I already had all the notes completed.

But that wasn't enough for me.

I had always liked the Star Fox franchise, but never enough to write a fiction for it. These notes were nothing more then speculation. My thoughts continued, however, as I replayed the games to test (for the hundredth time) if my theories fit in with the storyline. It seems that this job in particular had been completed. But something else bothered me…

I had finished the character's development and backgrounds. (Krystal's was the most obscure but had the highest potential.) I had finished explaining all the plotholes and gaps. But something else stirred in my mind…

"What is _up_ with Corneria?"

In case you haven't noticed, I disagree with the Lylat system. A lot. I'm openly critical of it. Venom's warfare tactics must be complete and utter garbage if just four pilots can outperform an entire armada. Corneria's can't be much better, given that they have LOST to Venom, the Aparoids, and even a bunch of bizarrely incapable fish. Furthermore, judging by the characters of all the "soldiers," the Lylat system seems to think of war as a gentleman's game. One side pushes, the other side pushes back until one of them gives in. And they never seem too broken if someone dies.

Go test it out right now. Turn on your Gamecube/Wii and pop in Star Fox assault. In the most recent run through the game, I noticed a particular quote which always bugged me, but up till now I could never figure out why:

First level, after the team arrives on the surface of Fortuna, Krystal begins chasing three fighter planes. If you shoot them down before she does, she says something to the extent of "Hey! That was mine!"

Every time I heard that I had a strange urge to slap some sense into the lot of them, and I finally realized why: I, like many of you out there, have actually seen someone die. Up close and in ugly. Anyone who has seen that last breath that knows the true value of a life.

However, these strangely upbeat space furries don't appear to. They saw it as a competition. They thought nothing of taking another life. On various occasions they expressed pride in having defeated (ie, _killed_) an enemy. Whether or not they are the enemy is completely irrelevant. Taking another life is serious business, no matter who it is. It's easy to say you can kill your enemy, someone who deserves to die, but just try it. It's not easy, and no matter how convinced you are that they deserve it it's one of the hardest things a sentient human can do.

Now…my grandfather, who was a fighter pilot back in WWII, explained this to me upon our most recent discussion.

He told me that this wasn't too far from the truth. Back in the day, he was completely prideful at all the Japs he shot down and killed. Never thought a thing about it. The reason he gave was that a fighter pilot could never see the life he was taking. He couldn't see the light fade from their eyes, never saw them burn, never even heard that blood-freezing scream they let loose when they die. All he saw was a flying machine plummeting into the ocean. It never occurred to him that a human life was inside that thing.

Society changes alongside technology. We all know that. Seems like because of this, Lylat has gone soft. Really soft. Giving the heroes the benefit of the doubt, I could only conclude that they didn't delight in killing; they were just ignorant. I concluded that most battles in the Lylat system took place in the air, explaining the widespread naivety of the system's citizens.

I hate to say this, but the system seems to be full of pansies. Even Wolf, the baddest of the bad, (I personally hate him) is a playground bully compared with a lot of the things I've seen.

Naturally, this is because Nintendo wants to avoid 'excessive' violence and be child friendly as possible.

**Whatever the case, I wanted to be as true to the series as possible. In doing so I would have to direct the characters as they would act in one of the games, and figure out why they act the way they do.**  
Aside from what I mentioned above in a page's worth of ranting, I had to figure out Corneria's military, sociology, their history, everything. I couldn't leave anything out.

Which brings me to my next point: Most fanfics out there are NOT true to the series. No matter how loyal and intelligent a fan is, it seems that nine out of every ten such writers insist on including excessive amounts of blood and gore into their stories. It doesn't fit, in my personal opinion. Again, taking a quick look at the characterization is enough to say that such events could never happen.

Even so, I think a sprinkle of darkness and blood and despair is absolutely necessary sometimes. But we are presented with a predicament, since we wish to remain true to the story.

The solution?

We must bring in an **outside** force to the Lylat system.

The Starfox universe needs someone dark. Someone who understands what it's like to kill and to have a close, beloved friend die right next to you. Someone who values life, but also knows when to take it.  
He/She will cause conflict within the group, but he/she will also enlighten them on how technology has weakened them all. He/she will frighten them with his/her cruel, street-worn power, and at the same time mystify them with his/her compassion for the weak.

It was only a thought; never an intention to include an original character. But after a particular acid tri...I mean...DREAM I once had, I was totally inspired to do so and write the fic. I had the perfect candidate to hurl into the midst of the Lylat System:

Lance Callahan. The Blackhearted Hero.

Around this time, I had recently finished another original story of mine called "Lucky 7." The details are insignificant, and you can find out all you want about it in the Shadows of Lylat Prologue. Anywho…Lance is one of the six main characters in that story, and is fairly unique enough to stand out from the competition. And although his name goes a little further than the presumed "batman" motif, I'm sure that readers will often point out some obvious commonalities. Though his personality and backstory are unimportant in the grand scheme of things, he filled all the requirements I mentioned above.

Oh, and let me get this out of the way right now: Lance is in no way a representative of me or my 'insipid fantasies' I so easily criticized earlier. He is here ONLY for the purpose of sociological, psychological, and speculative purposes. His existence in the Lylat system is a key factor in nearly all of the themes, motifs, symbolism and literary themes in this story.

There were actually numerous reasons I chose Lance. First off, the whole "stranger-in-a-strange-land" theme is very fascinating to me. Wouldn't you agree? It leaves a lot of room for the psychological themes I talked about. Second: again, his personality is perfect to compare and contrast humans and Cornerians, as far as my perception went. Third: Only minor adjustments to his original story were necessary to reasonably include him. The alternate ending in Lucky 7 fits very nicely with his appearance on Sauria. Four: I didn't want to just make up another character, since that would make it seem like I was just indulging myself. (which...not gonna lie, I KINDA AM, since he's from one of my stories) I wanted another character who already existed…someone who was already full of meaning.

Here are some themes and messages I wish to cover:

-I have some serious reservations regarding furry art. In general I like the idea of anthropomorphism, but I find a lot of what I find...kinda disturbing. Not only is a lot of the art running around on the interwebz just plain degrading to the characters, (It's slander, for crying out loud.) some of it is...just plain wrong. The disloyalty to the characters goes without saying, but as far as anything beyond that goes: I'm not gonna judge anyone else's proclivities, but it WOULD be fun to lampshade the whole thing at some point.

-Stranger-in-a-strange-land: As I mentioned before, it's an interesting theme. I said why, and comparing two very different civilizations is always very, very fascinating. Can't say that enough.

Now imagine two aliens (Human and Cerinian) in the same system. Imagine the possibilities...

-Acceptance and union: The Cornerians seem to be really trusting and open minded. I always figured it was because of the vast number of species inhabiting their system. They're so varied, one can only be forced to accept individual differences, while humans have to discriminate between things like skin color. (No, I'm not a reverse-racist, either. That's equally despicable.)  
Humans should unify. The entire world should come together. Just imagine what we could accomplish!

There's a wealth of possibilities, and as such I hope this tale will be full of all kinds of content you as the reader will be able to connect with and appreciate. Though to be honest, I'm still a wee bit ashamed to be writing a fanfic at all.

To summarize, my main goals in this ambitious project are:

1) Give insight into the Star Fox continuity; stay true to the characters while taking that bold step forward.

2) Explore the possibilities and interactions (psychological, sociological, etc) and cultural/social differences between Humans and Cornerians...without falling to common cliches.

On that note, constructive critiques welcomed.  
Also, at the time of this edit, (currently several years after first submission) the story is undergoing a little bit of editting, and I'm actually ENLISTED now, so I won't have a whole lot of time to work with it. So please be patient as well.

I think that's about it. I hope this has motivated you to tolerate me and at least give this work a chance.

Now without further ado...I thank you in advance for reading.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

**-Shadows of Lylat-**

**Prologue: Wrapping Up**

"Way to go, dummy. Now you've doomed us all." a black haired male with white bangs smacked Lance's backside...those brown eyes glared daggers at his partner he had just assaulted. They were standing in the middle of a vast room filled with purple mist. So vast was the room, that the walls and ceiling were nowhere to be seen...they stretched on so far that it was like the gaping eternity of space itself. If one were to look up, the ceiling was further than the sky itself.

"Goddamnit, Hermes, how was I supposed to know?" Lance retorted, emerald eyes ablaze. His dark brown hair was short, perhaps not even an inch, and it naturally spiked outwards just slightly.  
These two silent warriors stood amongst four other friends of theirs, whom they had all known their entire lives. There were six of them, but they retained their old name: Lucky 7. The seventh one had been deceased for about 6 years...and they frequently visited his grave.  
He was a silent martyr who had died to avoid his inevitable fate to which the monster in front of them had now succumbed.

"Look at that thing...It's so full of the "Great Poison" that it's ready to burst! If we don't do something quick it'll destroy everything we've worked so hard to protect!"  
A third voice spoke up. This time it was Skye, a girl with blonde, shoulder length hair. Another one of their friends, one who joined the 'crusade' for personal reasons.

"Those lying bastards...they told us that releasing the seals would save the world, not empower this thing!" It was another female, much feistier and more outward than her friend. Her hair was long and brown, with red highlights. Her flaming, determined eyes had an odd, purple hue to them.

A fifth voice spoke up...another male, this one with spiky, blonde hair and dark blue eyes. "Forget it, Lorlei...and all the rest of you. We had to lift the seals...it would have slowly killed the Earth anyway, and now that it's out in the open...once we kill it, it's done once and for all. No more worries...no more fear."

The sixth voice responded a bit hastily. "Ax, are you forgetting how much more powerful than us it is now?" This last voice came from what most would call a pretty boy. His hair and eyes were an azure color...his friends all joked with him profusely about it.

"And maybe you're forgetting, Roy, how much power we'll have now that the seals have been lifted." Ax, as the spiky-blonde was named, shouted back at Roy.

"That's right! Now that the planet's lei line is exposed, we can channel it's power!" Skye chimed in.

"Quince, this one's for you!" Lance held out a fist in the air.

Quince, or "Q," as they called him, was the martyr mentioned earlier. In Ax's exact words, "The name Quince sounded girly," so the rest of them agreed on Q.  
An evil force had long ago descended upon the Earth, known only as the "Great Poison." It arrived nearly a millenium ago, but it had slowly been leeching away the life of the planet...it's most recent effects more obvious and earth-shaking than ever before. A secret branch of the secret service had tried to harness this power and use it to their own design. Needless to say, they only made matters worse.  
Their friend, Q, was drafted as part of a top secret program to enhance human evolution...he was infected by the poison, and would have turned into an insane, freakishly powerful monster had he not ended his own life.

Before doing so...he did not leave the Earth without leaving behind a clue to the poor witness to this suicide...Lance.

What worms out life wherever it blooms?  
What eludes time and space alike?  
What corrupts what it cannot kill?  
What burns in the dark but swallows the light?  
When the sky is broken, the wind is still,  
The moon ablaze, the sun is dead.  
With Stony hearts, we roamed the world,  
in search of life that now we loath,  
and seek with fury, to end it all.  
Our golden days shall be no more.

Soon after reciting this long and darkly poetic speech, Q had leaped into the middle of an intersection and was squashed into a bloody mess under the wheels of a minivan. His friends insisted that this message be etched into his gravestone; They forever knew it as the "Epitaph of Q," otherwise called the "Suicide Symphony."  
The message was not recognized as a warning until several years later, when the group finally discovered the existence of the force called the Great Poison.  
They had come so far to save the world, and this was their moment...the source of all Great Poison. Once it was dead, the world could live on in peace.

"What's it doing now? Is it...is it...?" Lorelei was at loss for words. The formless monster before them was floating upwards and flying away.

"It's frickin' running away! I don't believe it!" Hermes exclaimed. He threw several plasma-charged knives in it's direction...only to have them disappear into it's glowing, silver hyde.  
They lived in a world where Technology and Mysticism both progressed as legitimate fields of study, and Hermes' knives were an example of this.

"What do we do? We have to stop it somehow..." Roy mused.  
Everyone was silent as it flew away and slowly disappeared into the distance. Finally it was so far away, that it's fluorescent body illuminated the distant ceiling, revealing it's escape route: A vertical shaft.

Everyone stared at eachother...they all knew the answer.  
"The Guardian!" They all said at once. A moment later, they all turned to face Ax, who now looked a bit awkward.  
"Oh, gosh..." He shook his head, and rolled up his left sleeve. His hand glowed a pale green color, symbolic of his control over an ancient piece of technology which they had just mentioned. Moments later, a low, rumbling sound was heard in the distance.

Considering there were no nearby walls to cause an echo, it must have been really loud.

All of a sudden, a tall, metallic sentinel appeared several yards away, slowly and clumsily walking over to the group. It's face was deadpan and emotionless, and it glowed with a green aura...the same color as Ax's left hand.  
He had found it in a waterfall cavern outside his hometown, and it chose him for it's master. It came from an ancient civilization from the dark ages, rich with an unknown technology. This particular item had the ability to emulate all forms of technology. Now was the time to pass it on.

"Hey...Gunther?" A quirky one, Ax referred to his giant guardian as 'Gunther.' What a character that he was...  
"Remember the Calluyda we had to go take care of?" The Calluyda was the name of the cosmic monster they were fighting...the source of all Great Poison. The statue nodded it's head in understanding.  
It was an amazing piece of technology, really...it could understand human language and shapeshift by scanning any mechanical object.

"We have to go stop that thing. Will you help us out?" The gargantuan hunk of metal nodded what looked like it's head, and Ax turned to the rest of his friends.  
"But see...only one of us can use Gunther at a time." The horrible truth hit them all hard. Ax turned to face the group. Of course, having experienced battle alongside the titan, they already knew this. He was just reminding them all...as this was going to be a one-person job, whether they liked it or not.  
Someone had to volunteer for the job...someone who didn't mind selling his/her soul to save everyone else.

"I'll go." Lance stepped forward. Alot was going through his mind right now...the most predominant thought concerning whether or not he would return home.  
There was a long silence...so quiet it was almost deafening.

"You can't!" Lorelei stepped forward suddenly. There was a hint of desperation in her voice...something very unusual for her. She strived so hard to get her tough, calloused reputation, but her friends knew her softness.  
"You've done so much already...someone else has to go!"

"All the more reason why I should go."

"Now wait just a minute..." Ax stepped forward. "I thought I should go...after all, Gunther's mine and all...I think you do need a turn to sit on the sidelines and enjoy life for once."

"You have Skye to look after, you idiot." Lance accused.  
Skye blushed and looked down, sad for Lance and embarassed for his statement. Her initial reason for following her friends was to find an old childhood love. To make a long story short, things didn't go as planned and she ended up with Ax. Now she was happier than ever.

Roy stepped forward. "Forget it, Ax-man. Lance is _the_ Urban Soldier...war is all he knows." This may have sounded cowardly to anyone else, but Roy was more the understanding type than the others.

This only made Lorelei angrier. "How can you say that? You're just letting your best friend march off to his doom?"  
Hermes grabbed her arm before she could do anything.  
"Someone has to go, Lory! It would be just as hard for anyone to go!"

"But it's not fair! Why does he..." She was at loss for words. For once in her life, Lorelei began to break down and cry on her knees. She was tough and full of pride, so it didn't take a rocket scientist to realize she was hiding something. Lance was the first to kneel down and try to talk to her.  
Before he could say anything, she looked up at him and said something very quietly.

Everyone craned their necks forward to try to listen. She looked at them all once more before meeting Lance's gaze again. She repeated: "I love you..."  
It hit him like a ton of bricks. This girl, whom he had thought was tougher than most guys, who could never cry or give her heart to any one, sat before him confessing feelings that seemed to hard to explain.

"I tried to hold it back...I tried to be strong...they say you should never fall in love with your friends...but...but you..." It was all she could say, and he couldn't say much either. Everyone else was pretty shocked, too.  
Lance just hugged her and held her close for a long time, feeling warm tears fall on his shoulders. It took a while for him to figure out that he was crying, too.  
It was something he hadn't done in ages, and he felt a sudden urge to cry the years away.

It was a good long time before they finally stood up again. No one else said a word; they just stared sadly into their hero's eyes...for they all knew deep down that they would never see him again.

Ax sighed heavily, and walked past Lance over to the Metallic Guardian, Gunther. He set his glowing hand on the gargantuan creature's side, and the glow died down and stopped as the great beast began to liquify and reform into something else.  
Lance trudged over to it, avoiding Ax's gaze, and planted his hand on the side. Still liquid, he would be able to 'dive' inside the spherical object and control it from within. He took the backpack off his shoulders, and shoved it inside. Within were various weapons and supplies he used on his travels. He might never use them again, but it was in his nature to do things "just in case."  
He finished loading up, and turned back to the group, his face still soiled from bitter weeping.

"Wait." Roy grabbed Lance's shoulder from behind. The hero turned to face him, finding an object thrust into his open hand.

"It's yours now."

"Roy...?" Lance looked down at his hand. Inside was a beautifully crafted, wooden conductor's baton, with ornate, golden designs woven into the black baton. It was another ancient artifact, just like the guardian. This one had the ability to manipulate soundwaves; perfect for a musician like Roy. He had even become proficient enough to attack with the mysterious object.

"It's yours. If you survive...or if you don't...I want you to have it."

At that moment, a great seismic upheavel threw them all off their feet, and a loud roar sounded from afar.  
"You have to get moving! The Calluyda is on the move!" Hermes yelled.  
Lance nodded and lept to his feet.

"Wait!" Lorelei ran over to him, and they embraced one more time. It was just a brief moment, but it felt like an eternity, for some strange reason. Then they seperated, still gripping eachother's arms, and gazed into eachother's eyes for another few seconds.  
Lorelei came forward and pressed her lips against his for one final moment of joy, before her soldier went marching off to war. They cherished the moment, and someone else started crying...it was Hermes, of all people. His head was hidden in his hands, and his weeping was silent. A stream of tears serenely flowed out from under the hand. Another tough guy...which made it all the more sentimental.

Lance finally pulled away, and gave them all one final look of despair. He would never forget them, and hopefully they would never forget him.  
His life was not his own; he was the greatest vigilante. Selling his soul for the people was all he knew.

He disappeared within the shimmering sphere, as it elongated, reformed and solidified into some kind of ship. It began rising off the ground, and shot off, shrinking in the distance little by little.

The Blackhearted Hero was about to do what he did best.

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The Guardian soon came rushing out of the atmosphere, ablaze in a great flame. As it broke through, it noticed it's target somewhere far away. It was flying around the world, sucking up the life of the planet itself.

The Guardian Lance now piloted was built by an ancient civilization specifically to destroy this Great Poison, they had discovered. The Calluyda came to the planet about a millenium ago, and has slowly been leeching away the life force of the Earth, growing larger and stronger very slowly and gradually...all the while producing more and more of the Poison to slowly kill off the world above. They had fought a failing battle over the years, and they left behind only small traces of their civilization. They died out, and left only a few relics for the future to fight with.  
Perhaps they didn't even know there was a source of all the Poison.

They also believed the Earth had a life of it's own, connected with the people on the surface. As a matter of fact, the life force was so powerful and so plentiful that they were forced to seal it up, to prevent it from tearing the planet to pieces. (this occurred long before the Great Poison came to Earth)  
The Guardian was infused with this Life Force, and was therefore an incredibly powerful piece of machinery...it was these same seals that Lance and co. had sought to release.

The group known as Lucky 7 had been informed that unleashing the Earth's energy may have put the planet in a dire situation before, but since most of it had been leeched away by now, their only hope was to release the locks on the great power in hopes that the life force would fight back the contamination of the great poison.  
It worked, for a little while...until they found out that the poison was the waste product of a great beast that had befallen the world...the same one that had begun sucking away the planet's life force. Now that it had a bountiful supply of the force, it was even more powerful and the Poison was becoming even greater in quantity than it was before.

Once they destroyed the Calluyda, Poison would cease to grow and the Planet's Life Force would clean up the mess and slowly grow back to its former power.  
One of the Guardian's abilities was channeling this massive power. Even at this moment, using the vision of the Guardian, Lance could see the "Lei-Line" of the planet, the steady stream of pure life-force. The Guardian began to glow a great white color, and soon shone like a glorious star...it was taking in a small portion of the Planet's life. It shot off to cut through the massive beast that threatened its planet.

Lance directed the Guardian straight towards the Calluyda, now in the form of a Great, Silver Dragon. The elongated, glowing Guardian contacted the monster's hide, burned a hole in the beast, and shot out the other side like a heavenly bullet.  
The Calluyda screamed and flew off far away from the planet, towards a nearby space station. Lance continued to pursue it, shooting off energy at the creature as often as he could. With every passing hit, it grew weaker and weaker.

It flew in a circle around the station before charging up a mass of energy. Just before it could fire it off, Lance launched several shots into the maw of the beast, as the mass exploded in its face.  
The creature began flying away once more, far away from the station, up and away from the star system.  
Before pursuing it, Lance looked at the planet once more. Through the vision of the Guardian, it looked like it was aglow in a brilliant white and green flame. He shook any hindering thoughts out of his mind and followed the Calluyda to wherever it would take him.

It was who he was...he had to sacrifice any and all emotion for the sake of others. His mother always used to tell him, "A life not lived for others isn't a life worth living." The thought gave him strength, and he pushed forward. He had been taught to dump all thoughts and all emotion in 'wartime,' and to act without any hesitation at all.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

It seemed like the fight raged on for an eternity, both combatants exchanging blows one after another. Both of them were weakened greatly, and neither of them could return to the planet; in their struggles, they had strayed far away from it, with little hope of returning.

It was exactly as Lucky 7 had feared.

The Calluyda charged up an attack one more time, as did Lance. This one would end it...whether or not he lived was none of his concern now. All he cared about now was making this bastard pay. He channeled most of the remaining lifeforce into a single shot...both combatants seemed to be doing this.

"You invaded our home...you tore it to shreds...to make things worse you poisoned us all...it was because of you that my best friend died before my very eyes...and now you have the gall to try and run away from your fate?"

But then something strange happened...Lance launched a preemptive strike. Though his attack was not as strong as it should have been, he remembered something from earlier...

when he attacked the charge shot the Calluyda had built up earlier in the fight, it exploded right in his face.  
Now, he went for one final all-out attack...focusing himself and flying straight into the monster.

"This is for Quince!" His voice, full of anger and sorrow echoed throughout the emptiness of space. He was about to die and he knew it.  
_There was a moment of enlightenment...everything came rushing back to him, his life, his friends, and all the moments worth living for...everyone he was saving was counting on him. He saw his five friends all against a blank white background..._

At that moment, an explosion whose glory rivaled that of a supernova erupted in the darkness of space...it was greater than anything he had ever witnessed...

_There was another shape next to them...he walked in from the distance...slowly and calmly. He slowly became larger and larger...the other five turned to watch him..._

The guardian, dead and lifeless began spiralling off into the eternal darkness...its eyes glowed no more, and it's shining green aura disappeared.

_He now saw who the sixth person was...it was Quince, the old friend who had warned him so long ago, who had sought salvation but could find none...who took his own life in the presence of his best friend the hero.  
The rest just stood there smiling, proud of their comrade...the Blackhearted Hero.  
In appearance, Quince was still just 12 years old, the same age as when he had died...he looked so pure and serene. He held out his hand, offering it to his old friend._

A giant, metallic hand twitched ever so slightly...then, it's back twitched, and a small spark of electricity lit up it's eyes for just a brief moment...it was only for a split second, but it was there.

_Lance looked down into the child's eyes, white as snow, pure as though he had been born yesterday. Those eyes were full of compassion and understanding...  
he looked past to his other friends...they were disappearing into the white abyss, and soon the two comrades were alone. Lance reached down and took the child's hand. He was about to apologize, but he was interrupted._

_"You've done more than you ever knew you could...more than anyone could do...this world will remember you for eternity. This isn't just about saving the world, Lance...across the stars, they will whisper the name of a lone boy who gave his world hope...the name of a single hero who stood up to fight, even as his legs were broken underneath him, who held up his weapon even as his arms were too beaten and bruised to lift themselves up. They will speak of that burning desire to constantly put the world before himself."_

_He smiled at his friend, who was now at loss for words. He couldn't feel sad...it was almost as though this friend of his were reaching beyond the grave to console him._

_"Now...Lance...Friend...Hero. Be at peace, and claim your place among the stars...ascend to the heavens like a legend."  
The boy stared long into Lance's eyes with deep compassion. He then turned around and began to walk away. Lance felt...sad and happy, somehow. A great wave of emotions came over him...but at the center of it all, he was satisfied that he had fulfilled his duty. He no longer had to worry about anything else...and he had made life better for everyone back home..._

_...he gave them hope_.

All of a sudden, the guardian jerked back to life, eyes aglow with the same green light that surrounded it's body. Lance's eyes opened abruptly, apparently surprised that he could be alive right now.

"Thanks, Q. But I'm not gonna join the heavens just yet...I'm gonna keep living."

He still felt sorrow, but he had no regrets...if he could, he'd drag on his existence for as long as possible. He closed his eyes and focused on another form...another machine.  
Slowly, the Guardian began reconfiguring into a round, solid object. A single window on the outside revealed the Urban Soldier slowly drifting into a long, long sleep.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

**Chapter 1: The Great Fox Cometh**

A giant ship, filled with glory and memories of days past, torn up by war but rebuilt every time, stronger and more valiant than before. It had become a symbol of the entire system itself...a symbol of justice and heroism. It drifted boldly through space, in all it's radiance.

Aboard this majestic ship stood a lone vulpine, staring out at the stars through a port in his own quarters. He was complacent...dissatisfied. A full six months ago, they had completed a high-paying mission, but after so long...the lives of mercenaries were expensive, and work was hard to find in times of peace. It was too easy to fall victim to boredom and apathy.

Fox McCloud warily held up a finger and pressed it to the window, dragging it along with a squeak, tracing lines in the constellations all around him.

"Hey, Fox, we've got an incoming transmission. Looks like it's high priority." An elderly hare knocked on the doorframe overlooking Fox's quarters as he spoke. It was the team's senior member, Peppy Hare, who had flown in the days of the Team's foundation.

"Great, Peppy. I'll be there in a minute." Fox pulled his hand away from the window, not bothering to turn around.

"Something bothering you, Fox?"

"Nothing really. Just..."

"Restless?"

Fox nodded. To add to his growing number of stressors, their ace pilot, Falco Lombardi, was returning to his usual habit of ditching the rest of the team in favor of his own adventures. He was an adrenaline junkie, plain and simple, and though he was their strongest pilot, brash and headstrong, he was by far the least reliable.  
And then there was their newest recruit...

He shook the thought of her out of his head. It was exceedingly unprofessional to be having such thoughts.  
"Never mind that. Let's go."

When the two made their way to the bridge, the center of the room held a holographic image of a Husky, his disembodied head floating in midair. Usually, they were assigned directly from the Cornerian Forces' Supreme Commander, General Pepper...but this was a smaller assignment, so an officer of a lesser rank was instructed to do the job.  
Five team members and a robot crowded around to listen to his words.

"Good day, team Starfox, this is Major Heeley speaking. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." He flashed a toothy smile. It was jolly in nature, but his vicious teeth gave him an alarming appearance.  
"Eastern Headquarters has been receiving alot of requests from you guys, eh? What's wrong, getting bored? Or have you just used up all your pay from that job on Sauria those six months ago? Hohoho...HAHAHA!"

Fox missed this hilarious joke, responding very business like. "Boredom, mostly. Besides, this would be a good oppurtunity to field test our newest member." He motioned over to another Fox, the lone female member of the team.

"Ah, that's right, you're from Sauria, aren't you?" The head turned around to face her. "It's a pleasure. I'm sure you'll do fine...you're in good hands."

"Why, thank you, sir. I'll give it my all." She responded confidently. "But I'm actually from a world called Cerinia..."

"Anyway," Fox continued, "I take it that this is a lesser mission?"

"That's right. We've been receiving some distress calls from a planet I'm sure you're familiar with...and as you know, most of the rescue team is preoccupied with the mining cave in on Katina."

Slippy shook his head. "Poor, poor people...I hope they get out okay."

"Yes, yes...tragic indeed. Most of them...A-HEM! But that's not why I called, is it?" He shook his head and regained his composure. "Now...the distress calls we are receiving are coming from planet Sauria!"

Everyone looked mildly surprised. "But not to worry, team...the various tribes have expressed that, if anything, things are TOO peaceful. And the distress call is an unknown type...we can't figure out what is emitting it, and the tribes, with there limited technology, can't pinpoint it's location."

"So it's just like finding a little lost child?" Falco shook his head, before Peppy nudged him to shut him up.

"Well...maybe. That all depends on what you find. Since the patterns of signals it emits are so unique, there is much speculation that the source is not Cornerian at all. For the past week, the media has been all up in arms, and various unscrupulous treasure/bounty hunters have set out to find it."

"Then why did you wait a week to tell us?" Krystal inquired.

"Well, we figured we could do it on our own. But because of the erratic signals, the source seems to be causing some kind of interference with any tracking signal we put out. Which means it pretty much took us a week to figure out where it is."

"So where is it?" Falco insisted.

"I'm getting there, so keep your pants on! Hohoho...HAHAHA! A-HEM. It seems that...though it came in through sector Z space, it flew all the way past Macbeth and Venom to Sauria, and flew around the planet to land somewhere around the top of the Krazoa Palace."

"It...flew around the planet?" Slippy looked stumped. "Why in the world would it do that?"

"Maybe it was drawn to something at the palace..." Peppy mused.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I guess you'll find out once you go there. Oh...and we've reviewed and accepted your contract. Do we have a deal?"

"That we do, sir!" Fox saluted.

"Right-o! Hohoho...HAHAHA! I'm forwarding the coordinates! Be sure to get there quickly...remember: The system is up in arms about some alien life force, so get there before anyone else does. Major Heeley, out!"  
And with that, the holographic mutt disappeared.

"Well, you heard the man...chop chop!" Fox clapped his hands twice. He walked over to his chair as everyone else took their stations.

"Peppy, set a course for Sauria. We're gonna do some investigation!"  
And with that, the Starfox team was back in business.

Aboard another flagship, there was a sinister operation going underway. This time, it was another mercenary group. This one frequently dropped in on conversations of a particular rival group...this time, they picked up the exact location of something they had been searching for within the past week.  
They were Starwolf, among the many seekers of this fabled "alien power."

"Hey, did you guys get those coordinates?" Wolf spun in his chair to face Panther Caruso, their newest member, and NUS, the crew's equivalent of Starfox's ROB.

"Panther never fails...Panther has intercepted the entire string of data." The black panther was a wannabe casanova, and had a habit of speaking in the third person point of view.

"~Lies. Dirty lies. I hacked into the commlink. You did nothing, you lustful imbecile.~" a mechanical, monotone voice rang out. That would be NUS.

"How dare this rustbucket defy the great Panther Caruso..." he threatened the robot and threw a rose into the air. It was like his equivalent of slapping someone with a glove.

"Shut up, you two. We've got a job to finish now." Wolf stood up to stretch his back out. With a loud pop, several pieces of his spine could be heard shifting around. Panther cringed while Leon Palowski, not too far away, only giggled at the sound. He had just walked in, with several weapons at his side, and it was a good bet that he had many more hidden somewhere.

"Haha, you're getting me excited now, Wolf. It's been a while since I've tasted blood. Kekeke…!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Leon. Blood is a big expense, you know."

The cold chameleon sighed. "A good kill gets harder and harder day by day." Of course, no one thought anything of killing from a ship in the middle of an aerial dogfight, but hand to hand was a whole different story, for some reason.  
"Forget it. Let's just go...I can't wait to make those critters squirm. Kekeke..." He remembered something from way back in the day...the first time he had fought against that mangy bird, Falco. He longed to see him writhe in pain again...but he was too frightened to make another ground mission again. This gave Leon a little compensation...just a little.

"~O'Donnell, there appears to be another landing craft heading down to the Palace. It's an unknown type...looks like a Saurian SharpClaw model.~"

"If there are three parties after that thing, then we'd better hurry up. NUS, guide the Wolfenstein down to the planet and establish an orbit so we can land." Wolf directed. "Panther, what are the exact coordinates the Major Mutt sent our adversaries?"

"Wait...why would he even need to send the coordinates when he already told them where the source landed?" The Major had told them to search around the top of Krazoa palace. That was specific enough, wasn't it?

"..." Wolf grumbled something to himself. "Idiot Cornerians...alright, NUS stays here on logistics, as always."

"~As always...~" the robot moaned.

"And Leon? You stay here, too. This isn't something we want destroyed, and you're too much of a liability."

**"Kyaaaaahhhh!"** Leon fell to his knees.

"Panther? You and I are going with a couple hired hands."

"Ah, yes...Panther spoke to the treasure hunters earlier. He thinks they are a bad bunch." Wolf had hired two of Oikonny's best field agents to help retrieve the source of the power. They were still allies, even though the ugly monkey was no longer a part of the team.

"And we aren't? Heheheh..." Wolf walked past Leon, grabbing off the automatic blaster-rifle slung over his back.

"Alright...scramble, everyone!"


	2. Chapter 2: The Cosmic Castaway

Chapter 2: "The Cosmic Castaway"

Alright, any volunteers? Who's coming down to the surface with me?" Fox raised his hand to indicate his need. Of course he meant Krystal, since this was a field test, as he had said before.

She readily stood up and walked to his side. "Alright! We're good to go!" He announced.

"Careful, Fox. We don't know what we're dealing with here." Peppy advised.

"Peppy, we'll be fine." Krystal assured him. "I don't sense any hostility around the source of the distress beacon. And if it needs help, it can't be much of a threat, can it?"

Peppy sighed. "Alright, alright…I guess you do have a point. But still…"

"You sure you don't want to join them, Falco?" Slippy nudged Falco, now looking sullenly at the ground.

"I think you already know the answer." He replied grimly.

Moments later, the two vulpine members of the squadron were in the hangar, hopping into their Arwings. The canopies shut above them, and before they knew it they were descending towards the world below. _I wonder if I'll be able to visit Tricky after this mission is done…_Fox thought to himself.

Within a couple short minutes, the two pilots made a smooth landing onto the rainy fortress. It was completely quiet…and unlike Fox's last visit here, there were no enemies to be found. No wraiths or SharpClaw or any such pest. He turned to Krystal, thinking to himself. _She's gotten a lot better…that flight went even more smoothly than last time._

"What's wrong? You looked awfully vexed." She smiled brightly but softly at him, fiddling with her hair.

"Uh…nothing. Just wondering at how much you've grown as a pilot."

"FOX!" Fox must have jumped a yard in the air. Slippy's loud, obnoxious voice woke him up from his daydreaming. "You two better stop flirting and get on with this mission! Remember what the Major said?"

"Uh, right." He turned off the communications via a control on his left arm. "Let's go, Krystal." He patted his blaster at his side.

She chose to use her staff, at the time being, which was now slung over her back. "I'm ready when you are!" The two of them went running off into the depths of the Palace.

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

A knife was thrust into the ground. Lance got on his knees and put his ear right up above the handle of the knife, and cupped his hands around it and his ear. With such a hunting and tracking technique, he could pick up vibrations from the ground and hear things much further away than usual, and more clearly as well. Right now he wasn't getting anything. He picked up the knife and stood up, placing it back up his sleeve.

_Is this planet completely dead or something? Or am I just on some kind of burial ground…?_

Whatever the case, he felt the need to explore the palace a bit. His first priority was finding suitable shelter, and a good food source. Didn't seem like water was a problem, what with all the rain. By now he assumed that he would be the only intelligent life on the entire planet.

He picked up his bag inside the escape pod before walking down a starcase in an indentation in the wall. It spiraled down through a stone hallway and into a grand, cylindrical shaft in the middle of what appeared to be a massive tower. He was standing on a circular walkway which hugged the wall around the shaft. He looked down, and saw what appeared to be a series of gigantic fans blowing air upwards. As far as the eye could see, the shaft continued downwards through a series of stairwells, and a comparably small distance upwards. There were also many other balconies like the one he was standing on, on lower and higher levels. He was standing in the main room of the Krazoa Palace.

"……..shit." Was all he could manage to say. Looked like he had a long way to walk. He circled around the balcony, searching for another staircase, or a door or anything to move downwards. He stopped abruptly, looking at a curious alcove in the wall. Inside, there was a curious looking statue on the wall. In many ways it was strikingly similar to what humans perceived as the typical alien:

It had a large forhead, with small, almond-shaped eyes glowing a soft white. The chin extended downards a bit, forming a T formation between the chin and fragile cheeks. Instead of hair, it seemed to have four pipes connecting the forehead and a halo-shaped object behind the face itself. In front of the statue on the ground there was a strange, transparent circle of glass with a glyph painted on it. It shone like there was a light bulb below it.

_Now if this isn't proof of alien life…I dunno what is._ He grinned to himself, remembering a debate with a friend concerning life on other worlds. Lance saluted to the statue and walked off to continue his search for new life.

He stopped suddenly…he heard something odd. Again, he knelt down and thrust his knife into the wall this time, cupping his hand over it and his ear. There was definitely something up above..first it sounded like a tremor, but as it gradually subsided, he heard the faint pattering of footsteps. If their physiology was anything like humans, there were two of them. Morbid curiosity aroused his mind…he assumed that if he confronted whoever or whatever it was, they would see him as an invader and act with hostility.

Without thinking any further on the matter, he stood up and forcefully pulled the knife from the wall. He sheathed it while he walked away, adjusted the strap for his bag, and looked over his shoulder before decisively moving on through the closest doorway.

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

"Panther speaking. The two sexilicious pilots…rather the one hunk pilot and the lesser pilot…have reached the basin of the Palace." He purred into the speaker and tossed a rose up into the air, only to have it fall into the grip of his teeth.

"Damnit, Panther…" Wolf rolled his eyes. "Just shut up and ready your blaster."

"The source of the distress call seems to be above you somewhere. Wolf?" Panther glanced over to Wolf. If all had gone well, they would have arrived at the palace, evading any and all radar. Now that the two of them were near the source, it would be easier to locate.

"Great. We'll be off now." Wolf motioned for Panther to follow him along, and headed off up the nearby stairs. He was surprised by another shrill voice yelling into his earpiece.

"Kekeke!! This is no fun...this robot can't feel any pain! It's no fun torturing something that can't feel pain!" There was an odd, metallic, grinding noise in the background. A robotic voice began to argue and bicker at the chameleon.

"Let go. Foolish fool of foolishness, that doesn't go there. That doesn't belong over there! That looks like it would hurt any organic meatbag..." The words and his monotone voice didn't mix; it was almost comical. Wolf only switched off the earpiece in irritation.

"Panther wonders what Starfox's newest recruit looks like. She sounds…she sounds…" He purred again and chewed fiercely on the rose in his jaw.

"Start thinking with your head, you idiot. The one on your shoulders." He chortled at his joke and punched Panther in the shoulder, who now struck an artistic pose. On one knee, his elbow was rested on the other knee, the fist on that arm rested on his forehead. "Oh, the life of a pilot is a lonely one. As the dawn approaches, I sigh into my pillow in despair at the life I lead...is there anybody out there? My other half…? My…RAAAGH!!" Wolf slapped his back very hard. That was sure to leave a mark tomorrow…

"Are you gonna go into another one of your modes? Come on, we have work to do."

Panther reluctantly followed. "Oh, cruel world…am I to lose my heart as well as the ability to love freely? What a shame…what a shame…"

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

"What was that?" Fox stopped for a moment…he was getting a transmission from ROB.

"Warning, two fighter vessels detected in the vicinity. Another vessel of unknown origin is approaching quickly."

"Say what??"

"Fox, I'm sensing faint thought waves." She looked down, eyes closed. "I can't…I can't figure out what it's feeling right now…but it's running away from us. It knows we're here."

Fox looked surprised. "Wait…what do you mean you can't figure…"

"It's not feeling anything right now, I think…at least, it's emotions are too concealed. It's like it has an impulse to run away from us. More of an instinct than an emotion."

"Do you sense anything else? Something that might be causing the thing's urge?"

"There's another set of thoughts somewhere down there…but they're too far away and too faint for me to decipher them."

"Guess we'd better hop to it, then."

"Alright...we're here, at last." Fox sighed.

About an hour had passed while the three different groups were all prowling around and exploring the ruins of this once powerful civilization. Lance was still exploring the ruins, Wolf and Panther were still searching for him, and Fox and Krystal had finally arrived to where the distress beacon was emitting.

"There...there's nothing here." Krystal bent over to gaze inside the escape pod, and Fox peered inside as well. It looked old and decreipt, a primordial piece of technology.  
"What do those markings on the side mean?" Krystal mused, looking at the counter on the inside of the capsule. They were red, digital numbers and a couple letters, reading "48 : 02 : 12 : 22: 47 , " followed by numbers changing with the seconds, and hundredths of a second. It was a timer of sorts.

"I...don't know. It looks like writing, but I've never seen anything like that." Fox stood up and hit a few buttons on his wrist module before speaking into it.

"Team, we've found the source of the distress beacon; it's an old and worn down escape pod. But whatever was here is gone."

On the other side of the line, Peppy and Slippy exchanged blank looks. "Uh...Fox. Send us a visual, would you?" Slippy requested.

"Sure thing." Fox pressed another button, and aimed something on his wrist at the capsule in front of him. A snapping noise went off, and voices began to speak on the other side of the line.

"Resembles Cornerian technology from about a millenium ago. Funny...that's when we first came into contact with Sauria."

"So you think this might have something to do with the Saurian revolution?" That was a historical event from when Corneria made first contact with 'Dinosaur Planet.' Chaos ensued because the two worlds were so different.  
Of course, it was pure coincidence, and had nothing to do with this pod.

"Not really...it's missing a few distinctive features. Besides, something like this couldn't possibly hold up for a thousand years. Whatever it is, I'm willing to bet it's totally alien."

"You mean..." Krystal took great interest in this. She, too, wasn't even from the Lylat system. It was new to her, but by now she had somewhat assimilated into the culture.

"Krystal, does this look Cerinian?" Slippy was getting a little excited as well.

"We didn't even have that kind of technology..." Her ears sagged, and Fox's fur bristled a bit.

"Slippy...!" He growled.

"Wah! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry..."

"It's alright. It's just that...sometimes..." This bit of conversation wasn't helping her much, so she changed the subject. "Well, at any rate, once we find whoever this is, it means I won't be the only outsider here." her ears rose once more.

Fox nodded zealously and smiled. "Then we'd better go find that newcomer! Can't wait to see what it looks like."

A deep and threatening voice cut the happy moment. "Can't let you do that, Fox!" Wolf O'Donnell. He grinned from ear to ear, jagged teeth glinting in the light. There was guilty pleasure written all over his face; now that they were on foot, he was guaranteed to skin Fox alive.  
"Now, give up now or die at the hands of Starwolf!"

"Wolf!" Fox struck a stance and aimed his blaster ahead.

"Fox...? Who are these people?" Krystal looked a bit confused. A dog and a monkey both appeared behind Wolf and Panther...they were the hired hands they brought with them.

"Wolf O'Donnell. Leader of some rip-off organization that insists on stalking us everywhere. And that...that...who are those guys, anyway?" Fox was referring to Panther and the other two mercenaries.

Without hesitation, Panther leaped forward, standing halfway between Wolf's and Fox's groups. He got down on one knee and started up another long, poetic speech about love at first sight.

"Aah! Sit still my beating heart...for I never envisioned such a beauty in this life or any other! Such an exotic wonder dost lie before me...the beautiful and esteemed Krystal, is it? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Panther Caruso...here's to us..." Up until now he had been holding a rose in the air. Now he tossed it upwards as it landed into Krystal's open hands. She might have blushed if she could with all that fur, and Fox's own fur bristled in envy.

Wolf just shrugged to the two mercenaries beside him and waited for Panther to finish. That might be a while, though...as the jungle cat continued his romantic rambling.

"Now...do not tempt me, standing there in your taunting allurement. Pay heed to this aching heart and pry no longer! Come...run into my arms for I have seen and longed for thee in my dreams! Come to me, for...RAAAAGH!!" Wolf kicked him again.

"Don't you ever shut up?" He looked to the mercenaries and jerked his head towards Fox and Krystal. The two raised their rifles and began firing towards them.

The two foxes turned tail and dashed in frantic confusion. "Let's move out!" Fox yelled and grabbed Krystal's hand. The two of them ran through the nearest corridor and disappeared into the darkness of the Krazoa Palace.

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

They had been running and shooting for nearly ten minutes so far. The four of them zipped around corners and ended up running into eachother to carry on a 10 second firefight at the most, and then flee again to fight another day. It was only a matter of time before Fox and Krystal seperated, gradually and unintentionally. Wolf and Panther split up on purpose to take on their quarries alone.

So far, it seemed like the two foxes were between a rock and a hard place.  
Panther, who took Oikonny's mercenaries with him, decided to chase down her grace, the blue beauty. Wolf, meanwhile, attempted to go head off the Lylatean hero he referred to as "galaxy dog."

It wasn't long before the bitter rivals encountered one another. Before another gunfight ensued, Wolf cut Fox off, leaping out of a dark hallway to tackle McCloud in the open air. Fox quickly squirmed out from underneath Wolf, ready to fight. His blaster was gone, now lying ten feet away from the two of them. Wolf aimed his own blaster in Fox's face before he could go fetch his weapon. He circled around him, inching towards the fallen blaster. He picked it up and laughed out loud. "Oh, how the tides have turned. Then again, I guess I expected this. The great Fox McCloud: Great in the air but worthless on his own two feet! I've been waiting for this moment for so long..." He spun around both blasters on his fingers before hurling them both over Fox's head and over the edge of the palace, much to Fox's surprise.

"What did you do that for?" Fox lowered his hands and curled them into fists. His teeth were gritted, revealing his sharp canines, his ears were down and his fur on his head and backside bristling up dangerously.

"It wouldn't be as fun, would it? It would be too easy...too meaningless. I want to make you squirm and know that Wolf O'Donnell beat Fox fair and square!" He charged at Fox, swinging a massive fist towards his head. It was fast and strong, but Fox managed to dodge under it and kick Wolf's midriff and face in rapid succession. This barely phased the Lupine warrior, as he quickly responded by grabbing hold of the kicking leg and sweep Fox's planted leg out from under him. That same sweeping leg continued around in a crescent formation to axe him while he was still on the ground.  
Fox spotted this at the last moment and rolled out of the way, standing back up quickly as he could. This maneuver was only met by a quick straight punch to the side of the face. The world flashed white for a second and he struggled to maintain his balance and defend his face as Wolf let loose a rapid barrage of cinderblock blows.

Fox found a strong fist on his lapel, and felt Wolf's hot breath on his face. "What's the matter, Fox? You were fine the last time you fought on this planet, so what happened?" Just as Fox began to regain his vision, he saw another fist making it's nice little home in his face.  
It was true, though sad to admit. In the air he was King...but on foot, skilled as he was, Wolf outperformed him so greatly it wasn't even funny.


	3. Chapter 3: Debut

Chapter 3: "Debut of the Furless Wonder"

"Back! Back, you beastly thing!" From around a stone corner, several glowing red projectiles flew past the head of a black panther. None of them connected, and he continued forward, weaving in and out of the rain of fire. He pulled a rose out of seemingly nowhere...as he so often does...and placed it in his mouth. If nothing else, this was a dance to him. Meanwhile, Krystal, still baffled and desperate to make a hit, continued to backstep and fire off as many shots as she could in hopes of hitting something.  
A mix of determination and fear engraved on her face, she turned again to run, but found only a blank wall and the edge of the palace itself.

"My darling Krystal..." He bowed low to the ground, graceful if not narcissistic. Still bowing, he looked up at her with a glimmer in his eyes. "If Panther didn't know any better, he would assume that she doesn't wish to be with him. Alas, she is only playing hard-to-get." He straightened his back as soon as the two footsoldiers ran into the area. Panther waved his hand around in the air, which was a sign for them to secure and patrol the area.  
He took a few steps forwards, as she took a couple steps back.

Panther ignored her comment and continued on. "Look at you there, soaking in the rain...your hair dripping and sagging in longing...it's poetic. Is it not? Is it not poetic? I will write a poem for you as soon as we return home." he emphasized the word 'we.'

"I don't even know you!" was all she could manage. There was much more reason, but no words came out. The two guards, now standing about 20 yards away and ten feet apart from one another, exchanged blank looks.

"Ah...but is this not love at first sight? Do you not feel the chemistry between us? Then why do you flee from me? Surely this surge of emotions is new to you...I know the feeling, I know the fear of a new life. Come to me and you will be comforted."

"There's already someone else!" She raised her staff and began firing away once more. Whether her statement was true or not...and at the moment it wasn't...it clearly hit Panther hard, as his complexion changed drastically. Now he looked angry and betrayed.

"Why...you would defy destiny? You would defy...me?" He sidestepped and grabbed the end of the staff, misdirecting the shots. Krystal tried to attack with the butt of the staff, but Panther saw this coming and grabbed a hold of the midsection. Now both of them were holding the staff, fighting for control. Panther didn't seem to be struggling as much as Krystal, though. He leaned over the staff, now literally an inch away from her face. She shrunk away, failing to escape his advance.

"Now, you who taunts me in my slumber...I will put an end to your struggling and enlighten you as to the error of your ways." He let out an audible purring sound. Krystal's ears lowered and her tail curled under her and next to her feet. Any visible sign of fear was very apparent with her right now, and Panther saw it, too...which only empowered him more. She sensed something in the jungle cat that she...didn't like.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_What in God's name is happening up there??_

He might have been hiding it...even though no one was looking...but Lance was feeling pretty apprehensive right about now. He had no clue what to expect up there...after all, this was a new planet in a new solar system, a 48 year trip away from home. He expected everything would be new here. To top it off, the acoustic nature of this stone structure made it sound like the explosions were coming from every direction. He didn't know where to run, so he kept moving downwards through the center of the tower. A fan turned on all of a sudden, and before he could figure out where the heck he was, he found himself in open air once more. He was under some kind of gazebo, but the rain was coming in at an angle now.

"Wonderful..." He muttered in disgust. He had just gotten out of the rain, and almost dry...to make matters worse, he was halfway from where he started.  
"What now?"

He stuffed his hands into his coat pockets, and huddled into the jacket before looking around and moving forward again. He walked and walked, passing some of the humanoid statues again. This time, he heard the sounds more clearly. Since the sounds outside were clearer than inside, he could better evaluate where the struggle was coming from. He walked up five steps of stairs and onto a turret. In the middle of this section stood a structure of corridors, defined only by pillars and domed ceilings. He walked into the black abyss to avoid detection, and immediately bent down to the ground, jamming his knife into the ground once more. He used the same technique and listened to the vibrations.

...voices in the distance. They were speaking an actual language, though he couldn't hear any clear speech patterns. One seemed female, and the other was male...by human standards, at least. It also seemed that there were two extra pairs of footsteps echoing throughout the ground. These two remained outside on the other side of the structure, so Lance could move forward to get a better look. Before he pulled the knife out, he heard a girlish yelp and a series of what sounded like curses from that same voice. At that moment, he saw several red lights blast off from the source of the voices.

Against his better judgment, Lance felt an overwhelming urge to go rubberneck and figure out what was going on. After all, he would have to watch these new beings eventually, if he was going to walk this new world. He pulled the blade carefully out from the ground and began to step forward as quietly as he could. Finally, he reached the end of the hall, and saw four humanoid, bipedal creatures in some sort of conflict. Two of them stood against the walls of the structure...one of them was so close that Lance could reach out and touch him from behind. The other two were face to face, trying to dominate one another...or in the blue one's case, escape.

It took him a while to notice that all four of them resembled animals on his own home planet. The guard next to him looked like a monkey, judging the the tail. The other one, about two yards away, looked like a beagle or something. About thirty yards away, there was a large black cat or bear or something like that...and the one he was fighting with: Lance couldn't figure it out. She was either a dog or a cat or fox or something of the sort. He looked at the ears and tail and decided on a Fox. He also found it odd how he assumed it was female; maybe it was the voice, but the figure also was feminine.

_Wow...anthropomorphic aliens. That's new._

Lance watched, mesmerized, until something snapped in his head. He had forgotten the most important part of himself just because these people were a completely different race; the blue, vulpine creature was a victim, just like the masses of helpless people on his own homeworld. He felt incredibly stupid and guilty for not seeing it sooner: She was pinned up against a wall, hands held behind her by the dark, feline creature, who leaned in to say something to her. The dog turned his head to say something to the monkey. It was quiet, and spoken over a communications device, so Lance couldn't hear it. But he didn't need to.

Can't believe I didn't spot it sooner. God, I feel like a class-A jackass. He placed the duffel bag in his hands down next to the pillar behind the monkey guard, and silently pulled out a handgun from inside his jacket. It was a Colt MK-IV, 1911 silver government model. The clip was already inside, so he just released the safety.  
_Well now, time to do what I do best_. He cocked the gun at the exact moment the female figure yelled out something that sounded like "fawkes." That loud clicking noise was purposely loud enough to grab the attention of all four of the 'aliens.' The black feline looked over irritably, and then was shocked to see Lance step out of the shadows. Naturally...he'd never seen a human before. The blue fox had the same reaction, still pinned against the wall.

"Hey! Who's there?!" The dog yelled. He wouldn't live to regret meeting the Blackhearted Hero. Lance stepped out, and barely looking, aimed the gun at the forehead of the Monkey and pulled the trigger. The sound was apparently deafening, as the three remaining shrunk down and covered their ears. A good amount of blood came flying out of the back of the Monkey's head as he crumpled to the ground. His mouth was wide open, as if trying to scream, and he was soon lying in a pool of his own blood.

Before the other could respond, Lance fired off three shots while the hound fumbled with his rifle. One hit him in the shoulder, the other in the stomach area, and the last one somewhere in the chest. He would have yelled out, but it hurt far too much. At this point, Panther had let go of Krystal, facing the furless wonder in both wonder and shock. Krystal was sitting on the ground, just shook up in general.

Lance walked over to the dog and aimed the final shot into his face. "Yours is the most disgusting kind of people around." He stared long and hard before shooting. The visor was blocking the dog's eyes, but Lance didn't need to see to figure out the look in his eyes. He was gasping fast, shallow breaths, unable to say anything to this executioner. "Now...I'll see you in hell."

Another shot was heard, as the dog began bleeding profusely from out of the exit wound. Lance turned his head towards Panther, eyes full of hatred. His face was distorted, wrinkles suggesting malice and wrath on every inch of his face. The angle of light came in from the side, darkening an entire side of his mug. It was truly a frightening sight.

Lance counted to himself: _Five bullets gone. Only seven left on this clip before I need to reload._  
He lowered it before walking down a flight of 3 steps towards Panther and Krystal. He stopped about ten yards away and pointed his gun towards Panther. "How very rude of you. Don't you know you have to buy her dinner first?" Neither of them heard, since their ears were still ringing with the sound of 5 successive gunshots.

Krystal was too shocked to think anything about either of these people. She was presently staring at Lance's face. _Is it...could he be...a Krazoa?_ It was an odd thought, but come to think of it...what better way was there to describe him? _I thought they were peace spirits...why did he..._ Morbid curiosity arose in her mind as she turned to look in the direction of the two corpses Lance had just made. There was even blood dripping down the steps and onto the turret...almost like it was trying to escape from the body. Maybe it was her imagination, but she could almost smell it from here...that grotesque, bitter, potent scent hung in the air. She could also sense unfettered hate in this "Krazoa's" mind. That only freaked her out more.  
She felt really threatened right now, almost paralyzed. But she steadily inched away from Panther and along the edge of the wall. Hopefully, she would be able to get away from both of them.

_Wait...could this person be the source of the..._

Her thoughts were interrupted by Panther, who voiced her thought out loud. "Panther sees that you are the alien power...the source of the distress beacon." He bowed just for formality...and to try and appease this person a bit. Of course, he was scared on the inside. Like most people of the Lylat system, death rarely consisted of massive amounts of blood; it was just like that. Society changed with technology, and their methods of death and murder tended to be alot less messy.  
This was actually the first time either Panther or Krystal had seen so much blood. For Lance, though, this was nothing. Nothing at all.

As soon as Panther rose from his position, he found a hard fist planted nicely into his face. The blow was so hard he felt someone had pulled the ground right out from underneath him. Lance even grunted, rotating his hips, tightening his chest, and even pushing off his rear foot a bit. His entire weight and more was behind that punch, and it was all focused into Panther's face. He nearly fell down, but stumbled against a wall. He didn't have a single split-second to recover before Lance was on him again, throwing several hooks into his face. He was fast...too fast. And he didn't waste any time, wasted not a single movement.

If Panther would dodge one way, Lance would hit from another way. If Panther struck, Lance would block and attack in the same movement. Fighting was no longer a rhythmic, graceful dance. This new creature was an animal...his killer instincts went unmatched.  
Panther pulled back, only to have Lance advance right back into place, and dodge under the Feline's punch. Now Lance was low to the ground, both fists near his face. He was right under Panther, whose arm was helplessly above his attacker. In a split second, the human's left fist came rocketing upwards and into the victim's liver. So hard was it that Panther was literally lifted off his feet...he had never been hit so hard by anyone.  
He fell to the ground, on his knees and elbows. He tried to breathe and gasp for air, but found that he couldn't. His stomach was contorted even more as a stream of blood trickled from his throat, and erupted onto the hard ground. He tried to breathe again, but the spasms returned as he vomited once more before falling face first into the crimson puddle. He was out cold, lying face down on the ground.

"..." Lance stared at him a bit before turning to Krystal. She was stunned right now, still sitting on the ground, unable to crawl away or stand up and run. But then something hit her...she no longer sensed that hatred he felt earlier. It was all fading away, replaced by compassion and sympathy...there were slight traces of shame and sense of duty.

_This is probably really stupid of me._ Lance thought to himself. _I just killed two people and beat up another, of some race I don't even know, and it may have just cost me my life for all I know. She must think I'm some savage._

_What's the meaning of this?_ Meanwhile, Krystal was thinking something else. _First he's angry, then he goes completely cold, and now...compassion?_ She hadn't seen such an assortment of emotions, and couldn't quite make sense of it all. _And __**what **__is he? Could he be the source of that distress call? Why does he look so much like a Krazoa?_

After a few seconds of staring at one another, Lance self-consciously offered his hand to her. She looked even more surprised, but after several more long moments of hesitation, she took it and he pulled her to her feet. He looked her over curiously before turning to walk over to her staff. Using his foot, he rolled it onto his shoe and kicked it upwards and caught it. Holding it in both hands, he walked over to her and offered it. He had apparently figured out it belonged to her.  
"Uh...here." She took it hesitantly, examining it as if she expected damage.

At that moment, Panther twitched a couple times and groaned. Lance's head snapped in that direction, as Krystal sensed all his emotion beginning to drain away a second time. He pulled out his handgun again and aimed it at Panther, still on the ground. He was about to pull the trigger, but Krystal stopped him.

"De! De, ted'k jxeek xam!"  
_No! No, don't shoot him!_ She hadn't heard him speak, and assumed that he could understand Saurian, since he resembled a Krazoa so much.

"..." Lance stared for a moment, before throwing his arms up at shoulder length. "What?" He exclaimed irritably. "I can't understand!"

"Oei sud'k jxeek xam cabo kxuk! Ak'j dek hawxk! Fcoujo..."  
_You can't shoot him like that! It's not right! Please..._

The two of them still couldn't understand, for their individual reasons, but from what Lance could see, she didn't want him to shoot Panther. He figured Panther was an abusive husband or something...though that assumption was wrong, this situation fit the theory nicely.  
_Wonder how long it'll take for me to learn their language..._

He turned to walk away from Panther when two blasters fell out of the sky and bounced off the turret with a loud clicking noise. "??" Lance jumped in surprise, and Krystal exclaimed something. "Fox..." She wondered, looking at the blaster and then up the wall. "Fox!" She glanced at Lance one more time before jogging away and breaking into a run.

"There must be someone else up there..." he muttered to himself. Shortly, he began running in another direction. He remembered a path he took that, if taken backwards, could lead him directly up the tower.


	4. Chapter 4: Miracles and Madness

Chapter 4: "From a World of Miracles and Madness"

Fox, on the other hand, wasn't doing too well. By now he was messed up pretty good by a particular lupine rival of his, who continued to deliver blow after blow of fists full of fury, vengeance and pride. Another hit connected as Fox, now gasping, covered in sweat and trace amounts of blood, tried to stand up off the ground.  
_Man...he's brutal. Is he trying to kill me or just prove something?_  
He hoped it would be the latter. His arms and one of his legs were killing him, and he could hardly move because of it. He wouldn't be surprised if a couple of his ribs were cracked, either. But he had to keep fighting..._Never give up. Trust your instincts._  
Right now, his instincts told him that he would live. He summoned up as much energy as his frail little body would allow, and swung weakly but tenaciously at Wolf with a couple hooks. The outlaw dodged easily, and delivered a punch into Fox's diaphram and sent him to the ground again. This wasn't even a fight anymore; it was just a workout.

"You're pathetic." Wolf strolled up to him and looked down his muzzle at the mess in front of him. "I guess this is the part where one of your friends comes to save your sorry tail, huh? Huh?" He lifted a foot and pushed Fox back down with it.  
"Now just rest up and bide your time while I make an example out of you."

Fox was defiant. His teeth were bared and he struggled to look up at his attacker. There was a small trail of blood dripping down his muzzle and onto Wolf's boot. He only chuckled at this. "Though I gotta tell ya, Fox old pal...you're still a persistent little dog, aren't you? Ever since those days at the flight academy...I knew that it would eventually come to this." He lifted his foot off of Fox, only to kick him again with it. Fox grunted and turned over, gasping for air.

_Can't remember the last time I got beaten up this badly...but I can't show any weakness. Never!_  
Fox sucked it up and opened his eyes, only to grin tauntingly at Wolf. "Ha...you always told me that you would be the greatest mercenary of all time. For as long as I can remember. Tell me...Wolf...are you the greatest mercenary of all time?"

Wolf grimaced, and then scowled at him. Fox knew he had hit home with this comment. Of course, this earned him another kick to the side. "You Wretch!! Once you're gone, I _will _be!" Fox was second-guessing himself, wondering if he really should have made such a comment; now it looked like he wouldn't make it out alive.  
And Wolf was being a little short-sighted as well. His entire life he really had aspired to be the mercenary that Fox was, but if he was an outlaw...he couldn't really accomplish that.

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Stairway after stairway, he never seemed to get any closer to his destination. He knew the way...he had run back here before, even counting his steps. He had made sure to try and remember where everything was; it was key to finding the way out.  
And with his abnormally high learning curve, such a task would surely be simple to accomplish.  
The higher up he ran, the slower he was able to run. In a matter of minutes, he was out of breath and had too stop to be able to breathe again. Lance used this oppurtunity to track the sounds from the environment. He pulled out his knife and thrust it into the wall once more: Nothing.  
He tried to figure out where he was, based on how many flights of stairs he had ascended, and judged that he only had about two more to go.

Pretty soon, he passed an alcove in the wall with a statue he had passed before, the same one that resembled a bald, fragile human.  
_Good sign...it means I'm on the right path._ It wasn't long at all before he pushed out into the relentless rain once again.  
Now the furless creature stepped cautiously onto the terrace, looking around before pulling out his weapon to aim it wherever he looked. He stopped a few yards away from the door he had exited; down on the ground, several flecks of blood were subtly washing away. It was faint, a watered, light brown color, but it was still noticeable enough for the Urban Soldier to spot.

"..." He tried to block out all emotion, and all external thoughts, while at the same time raise his awareness of his surroundings. He would have to strike swiftly and immediately, forceful yet clandestine. Looking forwards, there were two pillars, and a few yards beyond that, the end of the ground, plummetting through the mist and into who knew what. To the sides of the pillars, the two opposing walls ended, allowing for two paths to be taken. On instinct, he took the path left, promptly but quietly inching along the wall and stealthily peeking around the corner. It was in this new area that he spotted two canine creatures duking it out.

Or to be more accurate...one of them, the red one, was being beaten to hell and back by the other, the grey one. Lance tried to evaluate the situation before doing anything.  
_Looks like that gray, wolfish thing is going to do some pretty good damage to the other guy. He's enjoying himself...he must be the aggressor. It's always the case._ He narrowed his eyes and pulled his head back to hide behind the wall he was on. Placing a cold, wet hand on his handgun, he gripped the handle and switched off the safety.

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"Now, Fox...it's been plenty of fun. But I'm gotta put you out of my misery...once and for all." He knelt down to pull something out of the side of his boot. It was a metallic hunting knife, about 7 inches long.  
"Sorry it had to come to this, buddy." He stood up, waving the knife around in the air in a showy manner. He casually walked over to Fox, standing above his immobile body.  
_Am I really gonna do this...?_  
He thought long and hard to himself, glaring down at Fox. For some reason, he was having second thoughts on this. For years he had dreamt of this day, where he would cut Fox's life right out of him. Something felt out of touch...it was hard to place, but now his victory felt empty; now he was reluctant to wreak vengeance.

"Wolf..." Fox groaned. This caught Wolf's attention. "...Do you remember what you said...on that day we parted ways?"

Wolf was stunned for a moment. He nodded and coldly responded. "Yeah. You said that we would both return one day and one of us would save the world. Ha…" He found this memory funny, to an extent. Fox and Wolf had known eachother for quite a while now, since Andross was just beginning to threaten the Lylat system, and the entire populace was up in arms about stopping his experiments.  
"Kids say the darndest things, eh, Fox?"

"What happened, Wolf? Why did we part ways?"

"……" He had no response to this. Their constant rivalry had slowly but surely caused them to become enemies. He twirled the knife around a few times in his hands before holding it properly to finish the job.  
"Farewell. Old friend."

He didn't get the chance to finish off his former ally, as loud sound exploded through the air, and some harsh wind seemed to blast right past his left ear at an incredible speed. Behind him another sound rang out; it was a ricochet…which meant that a solid object had just narrowly missed his head. Had he been just an inch further to the side, it would have drilled through his skull. He looked up, shocked and deafened. What he saw was something far out of the ordinary: it appeared to be a tall, leggy monkey, completely bald save the top and sides of his head. Yet it had no tail, and it's attire was very out of place as well. It was the Cosmic Castaway…the first human to ever see the Lylat System.  
Wolf immediately guessed what he was.

"You…you're the source of that distress call!" He yelled out to Lance. His ears were still ringing and it was hard to hear himself. Lance, however, was used to the gunshots and had no trouble at all.

_Did he just speak English?_ The thought surfaced in his mind, but it tried to block out everything right now, in order to successfully win against this new enemy.  
He began running towards Wolf, firing off two more bullets, both of them missing their mark. _He's a lot faster than he looks with all that heavy clothing on. I'd better aim more carefully…_

Wolf took no chances and dodged behind a pile of rocks just a few yards away, immediately sending a message back to the Wolfenstein. Leon's voice was the first to sound.

"What's going on down there?? I knew you would need me! Kekeke…if it were me, that little freak alien would be dead by now!" He cursed at Wolf with every name under the sun while the message came through.  
"He's firing solid projectiles! I repeat, he's firing solid projectiles!"

NUS cut off Leon's mindless rambling. "Impossible. The Cornerian government outlawed the usage of kinetic weapons centuries ago, and none have been manufactured since. Foolish fool."

"Shut up! I'm gonna freakin' die here!"

"We lost contact with Panther as well. Perhaps he has fallen victim to this new enemy."  
Wolf didn't get the chance to finish his conversation, as a strong arm swiftly wrapped around Wolf's neck from behind, the other one supporting it with leverage. Lance had Wolf in a rear naked choke, holding him firmly, slowly forcing him over to the edge. Wolf still had his knife in hand, and tried to slash the attacker with it. A cut appeared on Lance's side as he let go of Wolf without grunting or wincing with pain. He was completely focused on annihilating the lupine mercenary. Two obnoxious voices continued to yell at him as the human's relentless onslaught continued, which didn't help their leader at all.

Lance finally pulled out his own knife to beat Wolf at his own game. This gave his opponent a chance to recover and cut off the communication with his worthless allies. The two of them faced off before Wolf delivered the first stab. Lance swiftly moved around the strike, like smoke on a mountain, he glided past him, delivering an ineffective cut in Wolf's kevlar jacket, and followed through to slash at his jugular vein. Wolf was swift and attentive, and stepped back just in time to survive…but this wasn't enough. The human pursued him while he was still in the middle of his dodge.

Wolf saw complete resolve in those furious green eyes; the two of them fought very alike. Neither of them wasted a single moment in time, wasting not a single movement. Neither of them knew the meaning of 'hesitation.' Fighting was engraved into both of their minds like second nature. Lance, however, had a bit of an unfair advantage. He was therefore ahead of Wolf in the fight, who, despite his best efforts, found it impossible to regain his balance and composure. A rain of cinderblock punches and low to mid kicks continued to hammer him. It seemed like an eternity, but it was only about half a minute before he was bruised and bleeding as profusely as Fox.

By now, Fox was kneeling, watching the spectacle in amazement. Here he was, about to die in agony, and this complete stranger…this furless alien…came to save his life at the risk of his own. What he found even more astounding was that he fought with more hate and rage and malice than Wolf himself. He was running circles around him, determined to maim or kill him.  
He tried to figure out what he was, until it finally occurred to his weary mind that this truly _was_ the alien everyone in the system had been yelling about for the past week. Then another thought occurred to him: He looked just like a Krazoa. He struggled to stand up, as sharp pain surged through his leg.

At that moment, a large, black feline rushed into the area, jumping in from a window about a story above. Yelling something inaudibly, he dashed past Fox as if he weren't even there, and tried to help Wolf out by attacking Lance. He held up one of the blasters Wolf had unwittingly thrown off the ledge into the area in which Lance had previously beaten the jungle cat. Lance saw this oncoming attacker out of the corner of his eye, and maneuvered around so that he grabbed the gunner's hand. Dropping his knife, he used an odd and unorthodox technique to force Panther into Wolf and pinned them both against the wall. Somehow, an arm from each of them was under Lance's own arm and thus his control. Lance struck Panther's hand twice…which happened to be his gun hand…in order to loosen the blaster and then knock it away from the two of them. He struck a third time, but this time aimed it at Panther's head, which in turn, knocked it against Wolf's head and into the wall. Panther was dazed on the ground for a while, and finally lost consciousness, but Wolf was still determined to win.

Lance whipped out his handgun one final time, and aimed it in between Wolf's eyes just as he began to charge him once again. This surprised Wolf, and just as Lance was about to pull the trigger, his grey-furred enemy tried to push the firearm out of the way.

But it was too late.

That explosion sounded once more, and an surge of crimson blood erupted from Wolf's left eye and the side of his head. He let out an earsplitting scream as he covered his eye. He moved just in time; if he had been just a second later, he would have been dead. But at the cost of one eye, he was able to live.


	5. Chapter 5: Between Two Worlds

Chapter 5: "Between Two Worlds"

"Holy……!!" Fox stared incredulously at the Wolf, now crumpled on the ground in front of him, writhing in pain and cursing his attacker. He was repeating his own cursings over and over again, shocked at the actions of this newcomer.

Apparently, he was a hostile entity.

However, he didn't do anything to Fox now that he could have easily taken his life. He glanced over coldly at the still struggling vulpine, and looked him up and down for several seconds, all the while ignoring the puddle of blood that had now extended into his shoes.  
He turned back to Wolf and aimed his weapon right between his eyes as he had initially intended. Wolf glared up at him with his remaining eye, every inch of his face wrinkled and twisted with wrath and vengeance. He was completely fearless in spite of his imminent death. His functional eye was wide open, pupils small and vessels boiling, and his teeth were bared, as if he was ready to bite his attacker. The Lupine beast looked as though his mind were either possessed or completely worn away.

Lance, on the other hand, stared down with machinelike apathy. A shadow extended from his hairline to his entire forehead and the entire right side of his face. His eyes shone...if that's the right word...with a thousand memories resembling the exact same situation before him. How many lives had he taken? How many souls had he dragged to the pit of hell? If he had the chance he would descend into the netherworld himself to aid in their eternal torment and kill them all over again. They deserved it...the scum of the universe. As long as they lived, they would continue to drain out the lives of the innocents around them. It was his solemn duty to exterminate them all.

Fox tried to cry out, but found that he could not. Soon as he barked out for Lance to hold his fire, a sharp pain entered his chest. All he could do was extend a helpless hand towards the human in hopes that he would understand his plea. Even though Wolf had fought with killing intent, he couldn't just watch his rival be smeared like this. Maybe it was because he knew Wolf personally, or maybe delusional compassion, but he was very reluctant to see him die on his behalf.  
The Furless soldier heard this cry of pain and turned to Fox, muttering something inaudible under his breath.

_Good...he knows._

The alien glanced back at Wolf as if to say, 'I'll be back.' He took a few cautious steps towards Fox. There was something in his eyes the furry mercenary didn't like; maybe it was nothing, but there was a hint of paranoia in the human's eyes, as if he expected the Fox to spring back to life and gun him down.  
He stopped in his tracks as rapid footsteps behind him echoed, and a cerulean vixen ran towards and wrapped her arms around the Fox. Krystal came running with full force into Fox and buried her muzzle in his chest. He winced at this, but tried to wrap his good arm around her shoulders and embrace her.

"Fox! I was so worried about you!" She moaned.

Lance's eyes softened, almost with sorrow, and then his eyes glistened while he let out a very subtle smile, as if he was moved by the two foxes' affections toward eachother.

Fox responded, but it was a pain, and his voice came out weak and pathetic. "D-did Panther hurt you...?"

"He tried to...but I'm fine now." She turned her head to glance at the cosmic castaway who had saved her, but her gaze stopped instead on the red and Silver mess of fur on the terrace. Wolf had stopped groaning, and lay still as if he had submitted to his fate. She sensed life patterns from his direction, and it was clear that he would live to fight another day, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from that horrible scene.

"..." Lance took several steps back, and turned about as he began to walk away. It seemed he had done enough...too much, as a matter of fact.  
His clandestine escape was interrupted, as a loud, shrieking noise struck the air. He held up his firearm, aiming it at the invisible source, but found nothing.  
Krystal stood in front of Fox with her staff extended, determined to protect her injured leader. "Why won't you just leave us alone??" She shouted angrily to the heavens. Almost as if in response to her voice, a lone Wolfen rose from over the edge of the Palace. The rain bounced off of it's chassy as the canopy opened up, revealing a green, scaly head. It was Leon...come to reclaim his two fallen teammates. He hissed as he leaped in a grand arc through the air, and landed flawlessly next to Wolf. He raised his head and curled his Tail, focusing both his eyes on Fox and Krystal, and then turned on Lance. Both of them glared at one another confrontationally, until the shady Lizard pushed a few buttons on his wrist. The Wolfen landed on the Palace as he hauled the bleeding, grey wolf into an extra section of the Wolfen. He doubled back to pick up an unconscious Panther Caruso with surprising strength, and placed him next to Wolf.

Without another word, he hissed at them all and leaped back onto the upper left Wing of the Wolfen. As he stood there watching the three antagonists of his, the Wolfen gently ascended into the sky, and disappeared beyond the clouds.

"This is NOT my day." Fox moaned. He struggled to put a hand on Krystal's shoulder, but he collapsed onto his knee. His head was low to the ground, and breathing was a struggle. She turned around to try to help him up, and lowered to see him eye to eye.  
"Fox, hang on! We'll get you help!" Without hesitation, she took Fox's armband and tried to establish communication with the ordinance aboard the Great Fox.

"Krystal! What's going on? We lost contact with you and Fox! We thought you were dead!" A floating head appeared in a funnel the soft blue light now emitting from Fox's arm.

"We'll be fine, Peppy...we had a little help." Still speaking with the aged hare, she looked over her shoulder to find that their vicious savior had mysteriously disappeared.

"From who?" A higher pitch voice rang out over the speakers, as a round, green head with two mounted eyes showed up in the light next to that of the rabbit's. His voice was quivering with anxiety and his eyes were full of concern.

"Slippy...don't worry...about me." Fox managed to say to the ground. "We'll be fine."

"Wha...! What happened down there?" The frog persisted. "You're a mess!"

"I noticed. Wolf...Wo...!!" He grunted as his chest tightened up again.

"Just relax, Fox." Krystal reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his back.  
She began explaining everything to the two, from the time the two of them encountered the escape pod, Wolf and Panther's arrival, she and Fox splitting up, their individual confrontations, and then the "Krazoa's" Arrival.  
The entire story shocked them all. Falco had come into the conversation late, and now cursed that he hadn't been on the ground to be part of all the action.

"So you're saying that this guy...this Monkey of an alien...beat down Wolf and Panther?" He sniffled. "How tough are those two, anyway?"

"On foot, they're a force to be reckoned with." Peppy answered grimly. His brow was furrowed in intense thought.  
Already he was worried...maybe the Lylat system was being invaded again?

"He fought like he was possessed...and those two mercenaries they had brought along...they..." Krystal recalled the dog and the monkey Wolf and Panther had enlisted to retrieve the escape pod, and how the human had blown their brains out with his kinetic weapon without so much as a second glance.

"It's been centuries since anyone has used a weapon that fires off solid projectiles." Peppy stated. "They were deemed not only resource-inefficient, but vile and inhumane as well."

"So what does that mean for us?" Falco's voice showed he was irritated at something, whatever that might be.

"You should probably go retrieve Fox now." after a few moments of awkward silence, Slippy gave this advice, resulting in the gruff avian stalking off to the hangar.

"Whatever it means...we've done our job. Now we should report to the Major."

"No." Fox was able to speak a little better now. He had erected his spine and found a position in which he could more easily speak. His ribs were feeling a bit better, too. He would be lucky...he had only attained a couple minor fractures along his ribcage. "Our job was to retrieve the source of the signal."

"But that escape pod is way at the top!" Slippy pouted and crossed his arms. He hated the thought of sending his best friend back to the top, and this wasn't a job for anyone else, as Fox was the team's main footsoldier as well as Pilot. "You shouldn't go all the way up there again."

"You're making a mountain of a molehill, Slip." Fox cut in. "What I meant wasn't to retrieve the pod itself. After all, what's the point? That's a job for the Cornerian military."

"Huh?" Slippy's floating head tilted, and a hand appeared to scratch under his hat. "Whaddya mean?"

"What do you think the Major meant by 'retrieve the source of the beacon?' No one knew who or what was sending it. And if we can't take back the pod...which will be a bit tricky with our limited gear onboard...then we should get what really matters."

"Fox...you can't be serious." Peppy's voice darkened, and his tone took on a more stern and fierce demeanor.

"I am. What's the point of getting the pod, anyway? The whole reason the system has been up in arms was that an Alien was rumored to be around here. Now that it's been proven...I'm sure the major would be much more pleased if we brought in our monkeyesque friend."

"Why...if that isn't the most reckless..." the hare's buck tooth latched onto his own lower lip in fury, and he found himself at a loss for words. His floppy ears were trembling and he tried to retain his gentlemanly poise.

"Peppy, I'm not talking about giving him a home. I'm talking about finishing a job."

This seemed to quell the elder's anger. But there was still a hint of disturbance in his face.  
"Fine. Bring him onboard. We'll talk more about it there."

In a minute or two, Falco had already touched down onto Saurian territory, landing his arwing just several yards away from where Fox lay. He had propped himself up against a rock, waiting for Krystal to go retrieve their savior, the one who had so kindly yet savagely saved them from Starwolf.

"Krystal." Falco's demanding voice kept her from starting on her hike.

"What is it, Falco?"

"Look...I know you aren't used to dealing with stuff like this...stuff this gruesome. As a matter of fact, none of us are. This system hasn't had that kind of brutality for years." As Falco spoke, Krystal's gaze wandered off. "You should take a rest while I go. What you saw today was..."

"No!" She stated firmly. This surprised Falco. "Really...I'll be fine." Her demeanor softened as she tried to reassure the avian. She turned around to walk off, in spite of her fear.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Oh, I hate this._ Krystal's face was filled with anxiety, and her hands were firmly gripping her golden staff, glistening in a cold sweat. She half-expected this new creature to jump out and rip her to pieces as he was willing to do to Wolf and co. She felt haunted and confused by her own emotions; this outsider was a space-faring loner just as she was, and the two of them would undoubtedly have much to talk about. No one else she knew could possibly understand what it was like to be completely alone in the universe, and she had expected that such conversations would help and comfort them both. After all, misery loves company.

Then again, a part of her both feared and loathed him. Never before had she seen such a cold-blooded killer, let alone a weapon like his. It was very rare in this age of grand technology that such a great amount of blood could be spilled, and the only explanation for such apathy as his own could be that he was a deranged maniac. But that couldn't be it; last time they met, she had sensed perfectly normal brainwave patterns from him...in terms of it's wiring and inner-workings...so he couldn't have been ill.  
What was stranger still was the amazing change of heart as soon as he had finished smoking Panther and Wolf. After he had saved her from Panther, she sensed that he felt anger and contempt towards the feline, and a great compassion towards her...and a notable sense of sympathy.

The thoughts irritated her to no end. Maybe he had a split personality...? That couldn't be it. She would have sensed that as well.

_I don't even want to do this anymore...it's just not worth it._ She dare not speak out loud...the entire situation was just too unpredictable.  
After a couple more steps, she found herself in front of a grand opening into the building, with a mighty Krazoa statue on either side of the golden arc in front of the doorway. Beyond the portal, she sensed very faint thoughts. They were all logical and rational thoughts. Someone was devising a strategy of some sort...and she could guess who it was.

The vixen stepped inside, staff still drawn. She walked quietly as possible, rolling from her heel and off of her toes, drawing ever further into what could only be described as an old and riven chapel. The long rows of pews extended about a hundred yards away, ending at a raised platform and an alter, behind which stood an enormous Krazoa statue. It's arms were outstretched as if offering to embrace a lost and wandering child. Above it's bald head was a circular opening in the wall, symbolic of a halo, through which a steady beam of light poured through. Standing in the light, and gazing up at the statue...stood the furless alien.

Krystal stopped to watch the scene for a few moments. It was strangely touching...from here she could see that the Krazoa was beckoning for the little lost alien to step forward and accept it's eternal salvation. The alien's head lowered itself to normal eye level, and turned around slowly to face Krystal.

"..." He said nothing, staring for a few moments, trying to examine her and assess what he should do next.

The vixen was also at loss for words, and decided it was best to show that she was no threat. Her staff shortened itself, ringing out a metallic scraping noise as she slung it behind her back. Ears lowered slightly, she took a single step forward...and stopped. She sensed that same growing aggression that she had felt when he was fighting Panther. It was much more subtle, though. He only felt threatened, no more.  
She didn't even need her Empathic abilities to see it, though. Already he lowered himself, fists clenched and brow furrowed. He loosened up alot when she took that step back, and she decided it would be best to try talking from here.

She thought for a moment, deciding she might as well try regular Cornerian speech. She had already spoken Saurian to him earlier, much to his confusion.  
"Who...who are you?"

"...?"  
_What the...I can understand her?_ Lance refrained from making his thoughts obvious, maintaining a blank stare towards the blue creature in front of him.  
_Well now...I guess this is good news, isn't it? But...they don't know it. Maybe I can use this to my advantage._

This was incredibly, ridiculously impossible. Here he was, a long, long distance away from his own star system, in this completely alien world, and they could speak his native tongue. He rolled it over in his mind a couple times, but decided that he would just try to make sense of it later. For now, that was the least of his worries.

Lance figured that if they didn't know about this common link, they might say a few things in front of him that they wouldn't talk about otherwise. He didn't know any other language...just a little bit of broken Spanish...but that would be enough to confuse them a bit.

"Perra loca, no puedo entender lo que estás diciendo." He shrugged and shook his head.

Krystal questioned this. She sensed a hint of deception in the back of his mind.  
"Uh...?" She could still understand that they weren't going to have an intelligent conversation any time soon. Instead, she spoke slowly and tried to gesticulate her words.

"Just...come. With. Us." She waved her arm madly towards the exit from the chapel. "WE are your FRIENDS." She put her hands over her heart and nodded her head eagerly.

"..." He pointed to his head and nodded once to indicate he understood. There was still a skeptical look on his face, as he stepped off of the platform. Krystal expected him to start following, but much to her surprise, he remained there, frozen like a statue.

"What's wrong?" She tilted her head a bit.

"No te confío en. No un pedacito." He spoke coldly, pointing a finger at her and then making an outward slashing motion with his arm.

"But...why?" Her body language told him that she felt betrayed. She didn't even have to play charades.

"¿Por qué debo?" He shrugged and shook his head. Though she took this as "I don't know."  
Exasperated, she established a link with Slippy aboard the Great Fox. Lance watched curiously, expecting them to reveal something of value.

"Slippy...we're not getting anywhere. He's speaking in some coded language, almost like Saurian. Can you try and translate it for me?"

_Code...? What does that mean? It's a different language, not a code. Geez._ He shook the thought out of his head and just assumed that they all only spoke one language. No spanish, english, japanese, etc. Just speech. This would also explain how she didn't recognize it as some other language, whatever they would have called it. Of course this was only an assumption.

"Okay, can you have him say something?" Slippy's head appeared next to Krystal's, and turned to face her.

"¿Cuál la cogida es ésa?" Lance exclaimed, acting surprised at the frog's appearance.

"Oh...that'll do." Slippy's head turned around and looked down at something. Back on the Great Fox, he was typing in something on the computer.  
"Uh..." He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "The computer's still going."

There was a long pause. Various clicking sounds emitted from the hologram as Slippy typed in a few more words and codes into the console. Krystal glanced over to Lance and then back to Slippy.  
"Is...is something wrong?"

"I'm not getting anything. The computer usually gives me the data immediately, but it's still processing the info. That guy must be a robot if he can encode speech this complicated!"

"He's not a robot. I can sense his thoughts."

_She can what??_ He raised his eyebrows and his mouth opened itself up. He had heard of psychics, and he had even met a few espers back home. Heck, Psychics was considered an established arcanum back on Earth, but out here he thought more of it, since he knew little about this culture. For all he knew, they might all be psychic...and much greater than the ones back home.

"...then there's no explanation." Slippy shook his head. Lance only confirmed in his own mind that there were no more than one languages in the Lylat system.

Krystal sighed heavily. This was going to be a long day.


	6. Chapter 6: Precious Cargo

Chapter 6: "Precious Cargo"

Through much arguing and persuasion, the lone vixen of the team finally convinced the human to cooperate and come with her back to the Great Fox. She first emerged strutting from the dark doorway of the cathedral, closely followed by Lance himself, furless and without a tail. His brow furrowed in focus; to him, he was still in the middle of a war, and something could strike him at any given moment.

Krystal kept looking over her shoulder for the same reasons; however, she only feared _him._  
"Slippy...how much longer is this going to take? I really don't feel comfortable with this..."  
Though Lance understood, (and was quite offended) he didn't let her know that.  
The plucky amphibian answered in the meantime. "Relax, you said he wasn't psychotic, right?"

"He's mentally healthy, yes. But this still doesn't settle well with me."

"I thought you've been waiting your entire life to find someone who understands how you feel?" Slippy tilted his head in a mix of concern and curiosity.

_How would I know how she feels?_ The earthling was careful to absorb every scrap of information concerning these people.

"Well...yes, but...I didn't expect someone so lonely to be so violent." Her first mistake was assuming that Lance was just like her.  
Krystal had lost her entire race a long time ago, and had since wandered the universe completely alone. Over the years, she fought to keep her sanity and find life and love out there among the stars. It was nothing less than a miracle that she was strong enough to live as happily and normally as she did now.  
Lance, on the other hand, had left Earth with glory and honor. He could rest at night knowing that his people would live and prosper...that he had given them hope...that he would go down in history as one of history's single greatest heroes.

Their only similarity was that neither of them belonged here; they were both aliens.  
At any rate, it was only natural that the both of them would feel that only one could understand how the other felt.

"And besides..." She continued. "with what we've seen so far, I don't think I'll be able to sit down and have a conversation with him. Even if we spoke the same language...he's too out of control. Maybe he came from a warrior race like the Sharpclaw...?"

_Wonderful. What a first impression I've made..._  
She was only half-right.

"At any rate...at least he's got some sense of justice if he was able to recognize Star Wolf as the bad guys." The disembodied frog head swiveled around to get a good look at Lance.

_So they're called Star Wolf..._

"I've never seen anything like it." He mused. Krystal looked at him, but tried to avoid making eye contact with Lance. "I mean...you were pretty much a species we've already seen...a fox. But this...I've never even heard of it before."

_I gather this blue 'fox' thing is an alien just like me. This all seems highly illogical...almost like I'm in some sort of...of...video game or something. Or a demented fanfic._ He avoided looking at Slippy, only adding to the feeling of uneasiness.

Krystal, meanwhile, was picking up strange vibes from the alien visitor behind her. Though he allegedly couldn't understand their tongue, he was psychologically responding to _everything _she and Slippy had said to one another. He was taking it in...processing it...  
and most of all he was hiding something. "He's different, Slippy. You're right about that." A shiver crawled up her spine, and she tried to warm herself by wrapping her arms around her midsection.

Lance thought he should have been a gentleman and offered his jacket. Then again...now wasn't the time; she would have taken it the wrong way, and most importantly...it would have revealed his armory of concealed weapons.

_So what do I do? The Guardian is drained...now it's an empty and useless escape pod. I have a few weapons...which are probably terribly obsolete and outdated. Shit...all I can do is trust and follow these furries here._

"Then again..." Out of the blue, Slippy broke the silence. "We actually _do _have something that remotely resembles him."

"??" the fleshy newcomer perked up attentively.

"Oh...you mean the Krazoas?" Krystal had just recalled the similarities she saw between Lance and the Krazoa statues.

"That's right. It's the closest thing I can think of...either that or a Monkey. Just look at any of the nearby statues." His large eyes began shining with the excitement of a new discovery.

_The statues...so they're called Krazoas?_ He looked off to the side to view one of them.  
Slippy saw this motion. He might have found it an odd coincidence that he turned to look just as he had instructed, but he _had_ been looking around madly the entire time.

"That occurred to me, too. What do you think it means? Are there other...whatever he is...out here?"

"Peppy and ROB are researching the Krazoa a little bit. Unfortunately...there's a precious little information available, and most of that knowledge is withheld to the royalty of the dino tribes on the world below."

_"Dino" Tribes??_

"Why don't we ask Tricky, then? We have connections."

_They have connections! With Royalty! With Dinosaurs! I don't believe it...what the hell have I gotten myself into?_

"That's right!" A pudgy, green fist and an open palm appeared and impacted within the hologram. "We should ask Fox about it as soon we get back!"

_Wait...Whose name is Fox? Hm...Ten guesses. What an original name that is. That would be like me naming my kid "Human."_ He rolled his eyes.

"That's right. I think we should learn as much as we can about him before we make a final decision."

"..." Lance narrowed his eyes. Seemed like they _didn't _want to help him out just yet. He glared at the two of them with a faint sense of contempt. Their backs were turned on him, and he almost felt like smacking their heads together. The feeling baffled him, and he wondered why he felt that way towards them. It wasn't because of their cautious behavior; he didn't blame them at all for taking no chances.  
It was something about how they acted. Something just bugged him.

So ignorant, yet so high and mighty.

"Hey! I can see the Arwings from here!" Krystal exclaimed. Two blue and white aircrafts sat about fifty meters away. Both of their cockpits were open, and only one of them was occupied. Inside sat the amphibian with which Krystal had been speaking this whole time. He raised an arm to wave to the two of them, as his hologram mimicked this motion before shutting off.  
Near the other arwing, a blue avian was leaning up against one of the stone walls. His eyes were closed and his arms were crossed; his pose reminded Lance of a Japanese gangster. The thought pissed him off and he scowled at the bird.  
His stand-offish attitude clued Falco to step off a bit, though he chose to stand his ground. After all, he should know his place; he was a newb, a fresh fish, a greenhorn. If anyone, the wannabe monkey needed to show respect to _him._

So he thought.

"Falco." Krystal shook her head 'no' to her partner behind their guest's back. Falco, trying to play it off as the mature one, just shrugged and hopped into his Arwing's cockpit.

"Okay, so who escorts Sunshine here?" He jerked his head towards Lance, still standing under the Arwing. He looked at Slippy over his shoulder, and the frog immediately averted his gaze.

"You do." Slippy was now watching Falco, intent on not making eye contact with the furless person again. "Krystal's had to deal with him and I've had to look at him the entire return trip back.

_Assholes..._ Lance frowned.

_o-_o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

After a couple short minutes, the entire team was in the Hangar again, and Lance's feet hit solid ground again. Funny...he didn't feel nauseous or queasy or anything. That stability must have been a result of their technology.  
He reached into the compartment they had stuffed him in, and pulled out his backpack, rummaging through it a bit. A couple other handguns besides the one slung under his jacket, a sniper rifle, some expendable goods...and one thing surprised him a bit.  
He pulled out what appeared to be a black and golden, ornately designed conductor's baton. As a matter of fact, that's exactly what it was: A conductor's baton. But it was no ordinary tool. It was the most treasured possession of a very close friend of his back on Earth...

He now remembered that Roy had insisted that he have the treasure, should he survive and find a use for it. He was a musician, and although Lance had almost no aptitude for musicianship, he enjoyed music of all kinds nearly as much as his comrade.  
This Baton was Phonokinetic, which in this case meant it had the ability to project the holder's audio thoughts into the real world. This way, the conductor could produce entire symphonies without using a single instrument. All the wielder had to do was mentally reproduce a song and rhythmically wave the baton in accordance to the tempo, and the music would manifest itself as it was heard in the maestro's mind.  
Another artifact from the long lost civilization on the human homeworld, they had dubbed it the "Baroque Wand."

He sadly stuffed it back into the backpack, immediately trying to come up with a familiar song he could test it out with. But that was a secondary priority.

Meanwhile, conspirators would talk behind his back.  
"Fox...are you sure about this?"

"I'm positive, Peppy. A job is a job, anyway."

Falco interjected. "As long as he's not some arrogant jerk..."

"You're one to talk, Falco." Slippy raised an eyebrow, resulting in a huff from his blue, feathered friend.

"Fox," Peppy tried to get back on subject. "I'm not trying to undermine you or anything, but I really think that we should take extra measures, you know?"

"Why would we do that?"

"This new race looks pretty dangerous. If he took out two of Starwolf like that..." he hadn't even found out about Lance's learning aptitude. In a week or two, he would look _loads _more dangerous.

"I think if he wanted us dead, he would have attacked by now. Please...the five of us and ROB could take him down if he tried anything."

Lance glanced sideways. A thin, yellow robot was staring at him...apparently. It was hard to tell with that red visor of his. After a few seconds, the Robot waved at him and began mumbling to himself.  
"Unknown lifeform. Physiology resembles that of a Monkey, with 98.5 match." Lance's eyelid twitched. Apparently it wasn't all that insulting in this system to be compared to a filthy, poo-flinging beast.

"Sensors indicate that subject displays signs of irritation." ROB continued.

"ROB! Stop that!" Peppy growled to the rustbucket, who only saluted and turned to continue staring aimlessly at the 'subject.'

"Fox, we can't take any chances. Do I have to remind you what happened at the Academy all those years ago?"

Fox's eyes widened ever so slightly. He remembered all too well: before he dropped out of the Cornerian flight academy...a very close friend had betrayed him for a dream the two of them shared. Not long after he had saved Fox's life, he made a deal with the devil, so to speak, and parted ways with his friend. But not before betraying him.

Now the vulpine leader scowled, clenching his fists. "You're right." He lifted his head to peer into the senior's eyes. After all, he too knew the pain of betrayal. "What do you suggest?"

"Well, we can always lock him up in one of the spare rooms. I mean...what would he do to escape? Break the window open? And we wouldn't have to guard him in that case, either."

"What about the air vents? You've seen the movies." Slippy's eyes widened as he spoke those words.

"Oh, please, that's so typical." Falco shook his head and sighed, exhasperated.

"Let's take this inside. I think we should call Major Heeley as soon as possible." Krystal turned to open the door behind them, and walked through it, turning to wait for everyone else. They came single file, soon followed by Lance, with ROB and Krystal watching from behind. Lance heard faint muttering between Falco and Fox, assuming it was about him.

They walked down a corridor probably fifty yards long, and very spacious in terms of width and height. It split off in in two seperate intersections, and they turned left on the first. The new hallway showed a bench on the left side, and a long window on the right. Beyond that was another door, leading to the room on the other side of the glass. Fox walked through it with Peppy and Krystal, while Falco just left to go do whatever it was he had been secretly assigned to do.

"Alright, establish communications with Corneria. Are we on?"


	7. Chapter 7: A False Treaty

Chapter 7: A False Treaty

For a long while, Lance watched the three strange critters inside the room beyond the glass. The red fox was cool and collected yet still cautious; the hare was frustrated but reserved; the other Fox was nervous and fidgety. He was trying to figure them out...what they would do and what they were planning.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt two curious eyes on him. He tried to look inconspicuously to his side where the frog was seated. That enormous head was turned towards the human, gazing at him in wonder. Lance looked back, more curious than irritated.  
After a long and awkward silence, Slippy finally spoke. "So...where are you from? I mean...what's the name of your home planet."

Lance was determined to keep up his ignorant facade. "Que?"

"You know..." Slippy made a gesture with his hands, as if he were feeling the surface of a large globe. "Planet. Round." He pointed downwards, as if there were a solid planet below them. He put his hands on his chest and then made the motion again. "Our planet, Corneria." Then he made the 'planet' gesticulation again and pointed at Lance: "Yours?"

He raised an eyebrow and hesitated a moment. "Earth." He made the same round motion with his hands.

Slippy seemed surprised at this. "You mean 'Earth,' like the element?" He scratched his head. "No no...the name of your planet, not the element."

Lance was surprised, but acted stupefied again. _Huh...named after an element. Never thought of it that way._

"Earth...?" He repeated, making the motion two more times.

"Guess it only sounds like the word. In your language, it must mean something else. Heheh...my bad." He took off his had and scratched the crown of his head.  
"My name...Slippy." He pointed to himself and repeated. "Slippy. You?"

Lance pointed to himself and replied: "Mi Nombre es...Lance Callahan...El Heroe Negro Corazon."

"Oh man, this is soooo cool!" Slippy wiggled in delight. "Two aliens in a six month time period! This is awesome!!"

_So does that mean...she's an alien, too...?_

"No entiendo su idioma. Usted es justo confundir el infierno fuera de mí."

"I don't get what you just said, but it sounded freaking awesome!" Slippy thrust a ham-sized fist into the air. "This is so exciting!"

"¿Usted ya olvidar lo que hice allí?" Lance frowned. Seemed like Slippy had completely forgotten what Lance was capable of. He wasn't offended...but it was weird that he seemed to care so little about the two mercenaries Lance had shot that he would forget it and act like Lance was some huge nice guy.

"Look, I'm not supposed to leave you alone, but I've reeeeaaaally gotta go 'relieve' myself if you know what I mean. Stay there, I'll be right back!" Slippy went skipping off, leaving a puzzled human behind.

_Dandy. Now that I'm alone..._ Lance got off the bench and knelt close to the wall seperating him from the other three mammalian creatures. He put his ear to it and closed his eyes, trying to pick up on what they were saying. It was hard to hear, but he got enough to figure out what they were saying through context.

"So when do we send him in, then?" Peppy seemed much more appeased than he had previously been.

A new voice spoke. It was the jolly, husky voice of...well, a husky. It was Major Heeley again, the one who had assigned them to this task. "As soon as possible. I'm sure the general will be looking forward to seeing this new race's skills in action. Hohoho...HAHAHA!" He threw his head back in hilarity.

"Sir...with all due respect, do you think it wise to treat such a matter so lightly?" Krystal almost seemed criticial.

"Well, dear, they say laughter is the best remedy. Although those two ruffians suffered a sad death...all we can do is look forward and ensure that such barbarism will be ended." He said this last part very gravely. It was clear that the newcomer had put himself in a very compromising position.

"This civilized world has no room for such savagery, and if necessary we will take certain measures to re-educate this furless alien of yours."

"Re-educate?" Peppy raised an eyebrow.

"From what you've told me, he isn't so dangerous that we'll have to exile him to Venom. Once we open him up to our civilized ways, he may be a great asset to the Cornerian military."

"Don't you think that's a bit dangerous?" Fox suggested. "We've seen what happens with Andross' bio-weapons. You play with fire, you're going to get burned."

"What if this person _is _a bio-weapon??" Krystal's eyes widened. Everyone fell silent for a few moments, trying to take in this blasphemous theory.

"Well...I guess..." Major Heeley was flabberghasted. "...I guess that's not such an irrational thought. But remember what you said: The technology of the escape vessel he arrived in was pretty outdated. I doubt Andross would do something like that."

"Well...that's a good point." Krystal admitted.

"Well, like I said, bring him to the base on Katina as soon as possible. Remember that your job is only half-done."

"Aye aye, sir." Peppy nodded and stood up to leave.

"That's right. You know the drill...we can never be too careful." Heeley said this in a bit of a sinister tone. It was hard to trace, but it sounded like a long-dormant beast in him was oncovering itself once more.

"Understood. Starfox, out." Fox saluted and turned off the console. After the hologram disappeared, he turned to look at his companions.  
"Well then...let's hop to it."

Back on the other side of the glass, Lance was listening with a curious ear up against the wall. He was already planning a great escape.

_"Re-educate" me? "You know the drill?" "You can never be too careful?" And what's the rest of this job he spoke about? Does this mean that these people are filthy mercenaries? Who's Andross and what exactly is a bio-weapon? So many questions and so little time that I might not even find the answers._  
With a life like his, it's not surprising that he would think of everything in a context of warfare. He was taking this all the wrong way, and had no clue how truly forgiving and open-minded this new world was.

He set off down the hallway, recalling what he had so far seen of the ship's layout. He headed straight through the intersection they had previously crossed, gliding down the adjacent corridor. This path led to a set of imore/i doors, each of which bearing some kind of animal symbol of sorts. He hit a button on a wall next to the nearest entrance, causing double doors to slide apart and suck into the walls. He shoved his head to take a look. There was a bed jutting from the center of the opposite wall, with messy sheets hanging off the edge. Over on the desk there was a radio of sorts, and the surface of the workspace was covered in mechanical parts.

It was strangely relaxing for Lance to see the mess; it almost made him feel more akin to these people, as little as he knew them. He walked down to another door at random, this time bearing a green, rotund creature. Peering inside this one, he found another bed...this one very neatly folded. There was an odd, musky scent, and he spotted a photograph of a Rabbit, a Fox and a Pig. Had he inspected the photograph closer, instead of shooting off to find another path, he would have found that said Rabbit in the photo was Peppy, and the Fox closely resembled the Vulpine he had saved earlier.

The door closed with a hiss, and he ran off to find another intersection down the hallway. As he continued running around, he found the ship growing more and more complex, and the imaginary blueprint in his mind growing and growing. Every time he turned one corner and explored one hallway or set of rooms, he found area to explore and discover, and every time the photographic image in his mind grew more detailed, this wild goose chase was driving him wild.  
The white metal work of the walls, the soft black of the ground and the various soft lights of this futuristic world were driving him mad. By now, the human almost believed he could punch through the walls in his anger. It would no doubt be a spectacular way to find what he was looking for...

Lance grunted and crossed his arms as he stepped out of what appeared to be an armory. He would have taken a few of these modern weapons with him, but in his ignorance he might have done more harm to himself than good; it was best that he leave them be.  
After all, they had left him armed. Fatal mistake on their part.

Cocking the weapon in his hands, the would-be soldier examined his weapon for a moment. Right now, having just saved two lives and taken two others...he really didn't feel like shooting anyone down right now. Even so...he was currently in a fight for survival. Just as he was about to turn the corner, he heard a distant voice, and spotted a shadow dancing on the wall; someone was coming his way!

By the sound of it, it was only one person. He was speaking into some kind of communications device, and from what Lance heard, they knew he was running loose.  
It was to be expected. His only regret was that he couldn't find an escape sooner.

It was sudden and unexpected, but Falco unwittingly ran into a hard fist on the underside of his beak. Before he could retaliate at all, his arm was barred behind his back and he had been shoved into a nearby wall. His shoulder bounced off of another metallic panel once more, and he soon found himself pinned with a 4-inch switchblade pressed against his throat. He looked around in wild confusion, grunting and squirming about in an attempt to break loose. He saw the communication device on the ground and wondered when it had flown off his head.

A swift foot kicked it away, and a voice behind the avian spoke:

"So...it's Falco, is it?"

"You! You can talk??" Falco, despite his predicament, remained cool and unmoved.

"Are you surprised?" He hissed. He spoke just loud enough for the bird to hear him, but quietly enough to avoid attention. "Now I have some questions, and I want them answered quickly and accurately, or else my little buddy here is gonna make mincemeat outta you." He pressed the knife agaist the feathered throat as blood trickled along the razor sharp edge.

Falco tried not to move at all. In his current position, that would prove rather difficult. "And why should I tell you anything, huh?"  
The knife cut barely deeper, and Falco coughed hard. THAT was the reason.

"Who's this 'other alien' I keep hearing about?" He interrogated.

"Krystal. The blue fox. The Team's Esper." His eyes wandered down his beak. If he could see the knife, he would be alot easier off. The eyes relaxed and looked sideways, expecting to see Lance.  
"You _do_ know what an Esper is, right?" He said it in a taunting tone.

He _did_ know: an esper was someone gifted with abnormally high extrasensory perception. "And your leader? Who is he?"

"Fox McCloud. The Other Fox you saved from Wolf."

"What about the four soldiers I fought off back down on that planet?"

"Wolf O'Donnel, the wolf who's eye you shot out, and the other three...we don't know who they are."

"What's the name of that planet? The name of this system or galaxy or whatever the extent of your homeworld's territory?"

"Sauria. Dinosaur Planet, whichever you prefer. That's where we found you. Corneria's our homeworld."

"Corneria's territory?"

"The Lylat system. We've exited the system before, but we haven't even set up any colonies yet. We've mapped out the stars, but we have little or no knowledge of any worlds beside our own."

"You seem to know about me."

"No we don't!"

"That Frog said I looked like a 'Crezoa' or something." Lance remembered a biology lesson back before he dropped out of college. (not because he was stupid, but because he decided he would rather go gangbusting.) His old teacher had referred to an age in prehistory called the "Crezoic Period"……or something similar.

"Krazoas. The ancient inhabitants of Sauria. No one knows anything about them, except for the Dinosaurs. They withhold that precious little information from us, too. Now, can I ask you a question?"

"No." Deception was the basis of all warfare, and this soldier wanted to keep everyone else in the dark. "I take it you guys assigned to retrieve me. Does that mean you're soldiers?"

"Mercenaries. Star Fox Team has saved this entire system before."

"Mercenaries? I guess I should just kill you now then."

"We're heroes."

"So are _all _soldiers. You bastards just fight for money, doesn't matter whose side."

"We would have fought for free. The four of us took on the entire Venomian armada on our own. We did what no other soldier had ever accomplished."

It was strange, but Lance noticed that Falco showed no signs of dishonesty. He searched, but found no indication that he had been lied to, in spite of the blatant whale of a fish.  
Falco saw this hesitation and spoke on his own.

"It's no lie."

"Bullshit. It defies the laws of warfare."

Falco was about to speak again, but they heard quick and frantic footsteps down the hall. Before he knew it, he was getting tossed about again. Lance had stood him up, the knife no longer against the avian's throat. Instead, he had wrapped an arm around the hostage's own, and an arm also protruded from over Falco's left shoulder, aiming a gun at anyone who dared approach.

Actually, three of them approached. Fox and Krystal from one direction, Peppy from the other. Everyone froze when they saw Falco standing there.

"What...! What is the meaning of this??" Peppy yelled out, stamping his foot. He didn't think his words would have any effect on Lance's foreign ears, though.

"Shut up, you old codger." Lance turned with Falco and aimed the gun at the forehead of a shocked hare.

"I KNEW it! You _can _talk!" Krystal yelled at him, half-angry, half-excited.

"You 'knew' it, being the psychic or empath or whatever you wanna be called, yet you still let your comrades talk and give me all this information. Good job." His eyes narrowed; she was just an enemy, he had to remember that.

"What?" Fox raised an eyebrow, and then it dawned on him: Lance had heard their conversation with Heeley. "Oh! You thought...but it's not like that..."

"Hey, uh, guys?" Falco spoke up. "You haven't forgotten about, me have y...AUGH!" Lance cranked his arm before he could say anything else.

"Keep it shut, birdie. Jesus, you think you're all badass, don't you?"

"He didn't do anything! Just...!" Fox clutched his ears as another gunshot went off. It bounced off the wall just a foot away from his head. The ricochet sounded, and he knew that they were in some deep crap right about now.

"Just so you know...I can tell when you guys are lying. I don't have to see your faces, I can hear it in your voice." One might wonder how he could read someone if he didn't know such a face could exist. His perception went further than that, luckily.

"Alright, alright, just relax for a second." Fox held up a defensive hand while resting on one knee.  
"We weren't hired to kill you or anything, we just wanted to help you out."

"Help by delivering me to some kind of lab?"

"It's not a lab, we just want to get you documented and all that." Peppy spoke up irritably.

"At a Military base, huh? Yeah, that's likely."

"They aren't lying!" This time it was Krystal who stepped forward. "I'm just like you! An outsider, a loner. They accepted me, and they can accept you!"

"_You?_" He seemed ready to burst out laughing. "You look just like Fox McCloud here. You're both Foxes, aren't you? You're both the same race? And you expect me to believe that you're an alien?"

_He knows my name?_ Fox stared blankly at him.

Krystal was offended. "How is that unlikely? They told me it was a universal physiology!"

"Likely story."

"You let him go right now!" Peppy roared, his fur standing up on end. He'd had just about enough of this.

"Thank you. At least _someone _notices." Falco smart-mouthed.

"Look." Fox tried to negotiate with the would-be nemesis. "You came here in that escape pod to survive, didn't you? If you don't surrender right now, we'll be forced to put all that effort to waste. However strong you are, you can't escape an entire nation."

"..." Still gripping the handgun, Lance thought this through for a few moments.

"On the other hand..." The team leader continued. "if you put the gun down and relax, you'll be given full amnesty and citizenship. Think about it: It's more likely that you misheard us and that you'll live than it is that you're a target now."

"Wait a second..."

"What I mean to say is, your chances of survival are much higher if you cooperate with us. Do you see what I'm saying?" Fox picked up his blaster, resulting in Lance to tighten up and aim at the fox's forehead. Instead of shooting, however, McCloud tossed the weapon towards Lance, landing it a few inches away from Falco's feet. Though they were astonished, Krystal and Peppy readily did the same with their weapons.

He was stumped. Why would they do this? It was totally illogical. Even so, Lance finally let go of Falco, pushing him off in Peppy's direction, holstering his firearm with a heavy sigh.  
"Fine. Guess I have no choice." He shrugged. Right about now...sparing those two mercenaries back on Sauria seemed like a good idea.


	8. Chapter 8: Break Time

Chapter 8: Break Time

All at once, the furless wonder had found himself at the mercy of his soon-to-be partners. Once the team had control over him, they had to ensure that the precious cargo would be properly detained. To prevent any further possible retaliation, they had to lock him away. But they felt the need to act cordially, so they at least put him in one of the finely furnished guestrooms. He begrudgingly thanked them, and Falco was assigned guard outside upon his own request. Apparently he hoped that the 'package' would attempt escape and give him an excuse to "return the favor." But that was unlikely, as Lance knew his current predicament; he wouldn't attempt to break out any time soon.

Slippy had arrived late, inquiring if he had missed the party, to which the team responded with a hearty yet cynical "No." He walked away, grumbling, to go see the prisoner again. He was astounded to find that the entire time, he could understand each and every word they spoke. He explained to the curious frog that he had done so to allow his captors to unknowingly reveal things to him. It had worked, and Slippy persisted to ask questions, such as his name, his homeworld, and the like. Lance told him the most basic things: Humans were the only sentient species on Earth, and he told them the current degree of human progression in terms of science and technology. From what he gathered, the Cornerians progressed VERY slowly, but had been growing since their existence. He inferred this by hearing Slippy's words that Corneria made first contact with Sauria a thousand years ago, and that the first space launch occurred a hundred years before that. Humans, however, Had only been truly progressince since the rennaissance 6 centuries ago. Compared to Lylat, they've grown beyond imagination.

He figured he would use this to give himself and the rest of humanity a fearsome reputation. It made him feel proud on the inside.

Eventually, Krystal came in and began asking the same questions. Slippy enlightened her on whatever he had found out, and Lance corrected him whenever necessary.  
Fox, Peppy and Falco had given up asking such personal or degrading questions, such as "Is your home planet destroyed?" or "Are all humans as powerful as you are?" or "Have you ever had a girlfriend? What's your life story?" Lance avoided these questions like the plague; anything that would diminish his or humanity's image, he refused to answer. Instead he would counter with a question of his own.  
The toad and the vixen, however, were more sensitive and curious than that. They felt an odd kinship to him, and he welcomed the talks...even in spite of his intense disposition. Slippy's questions never seemed to end, even though Lance only told him a handful of things.

He never told him how he came to Sauria, what he did beforehand, the current state of his homeworld, and the like. He told him that Human knowledge spanned over a wide variety of subjects, but no single field of study was phenomenally advanced. Humanity...jack of all trades, master of none. (Though he didn't let them know that last part.) Technology, mysticism, arts, war arts, psychics, they had it all. But as fellow mortals, their knowledge of the universe was elementary...a single droplet of water in a vast ocean.  
As far as he could see, the only thing the Lylat system had over Earth was technology. From what he gathered, their tactics, military organization and protocol, and general training were complete and utter crap if they had lost so easily to Venom before Star Fox came into play. It was no longer a wonder that four random mercenaries were able to take on an entire Armada.

Despite the Toad's prying and prodding, Lance never lost his patience. For some reason, he enjoyed the company of his green friend. Likewise, Slippy was drawn to Lance because he was naturally curious, and because he found that the alien treated him with more respect than anyone else on the team (He knew they were his friends, but they _did _seem to make fun of him alot...); Krystal, because they were so alike in many ways. Although different in many _other _ways, she seemingly forgave his anger. Whether it was out of loneliness or kindness, it was hard to say. But she sensed in him what the others couldn't see: even though he was capable of killing someone in cold blood, he seemed to have a reason for it. Alongside this inherent darkness lay deep pain, compassion, and many other traits common among heroes. There was something noble about him, and she found herself trying very hard to figure him out.

The others weren't so kind. Fox didn't like him, but he acted neutral; cautiously optimistic.  
Falco and Peppy downright hated his guts. The latter felt that he was too dangerous; as Krystal had suggested, the idea that Lance was one of Andross' leftover bio-weapons seemed to make more and more sense to him the more he thought about it. He had already lost two friends to that fiend, one to betrayal, the other the traitor. He had become a dead man again, reminded of the events of long ago. As the day progressed, so did his suspicion. For a wise, old man, he sure had alot of pent up rage.

And for good reason: James McCloud had been a childhood friend, the one who taught the old hare how to fly. They were closer than brothers, and the day he passed was the day Peppy lost a half of himself. It was with Peppy that James had formed the Star Fox squadron. The two of them were already war heroes, recently retired from the Cornerian Air Force, and to form a mercenary team would be a much more lucrative path to take. Once they had put together their funds for the Great Fox, they began searching for a third pilot. They found their man: a lone bounty hunter named Pigma Dengar. He was a quiet, soft-spoken individual. Despite his long lasting relationship with the two of them, they couldn't help but feel that he was still an outsider. As a child, Pigma had grown up in an impoverished home, constantly worrying about making it through the day. He never had any food or money, and he was a skinny, sickly child for much of his life. On a single stroke of luck, he landed himself in the Cornerian Flight Academy, where he was exposed to a more luxurious, wealthy side of life. The quick change in scenery caused him to horde his earnings during his stay, be it food or supplies or just about anything. He was just too afraid to be reduced to nothing again. Once his parents, who had worked so hard to pay for his tuition, passed on, Pigma lost all else that was important to him, and he now only had himself to look after. His life darkened, and the poor child was now just a greedy swine.  
It was this same greed that caused him to sever all ties with his two wingmates once Andross had secretly begun preparing for the invasion. During the time James McCloud formed the Star Fox squadron, Andross had just been exiled for his dangerous experiments. A few years later, Pigma somehow came into contact with the malevolent primate, and made a deal with the devil. Andross promised financial security previously unmet through team Star Fox, and Pigma willingly led Peppy and James into a trap: A false mission on the surface of Venom. They were ambushed as Pigma flew to safety, and Peppy barely escaped with his life. As soon as he left Venom airspace, he realized that he had lost James. Weeks later, he was assumed dead, and he was forced to report to the Mrs. and Junior McClouds. The worst part of it was...for the remainder of his years, he had to live with the belief that he abandoned James and turned tail like a coward.

Now that this outsider had come into their lives, he had that same sinking feeling he did on that one mission. He believed that once trusts were made, he would betray them all for one reason or another.  
But then he wondered...if all that were true, then why did he rescue the team's two Foxes, much less at the risk of his own life? The puzzlement angered him even more, and he would start trying to make sense of it all from the very beginning. Then he would arrive at the same impasse and begin the cycle all over again, working himself up more and more with each passing attempt.

And yet he wasn't the only one to have old scars reopened; Falco Lombardi, the team's _original_ loner, was deep in thought about something he had never told anyone on the team. Having that knife against his throat reminded him of another cold-blooded murderer from long ago. Leon Powalski, a Chameleon with not a single weak nerve, according the the few who have survived his grasp. In Lylat's advanced state, mental illness was now a thing of the past, and few suffered such ailments. Leon was one of the few, and somehow escaped treatment for advanced psychosis. He was a master of hand to hand combat unlike anything the world had ever seen, and his piloting skills were none too shabby, either. He was expelled from the Cornerian Flight Academy for murder; he had used one of the academy's fighter planes to gun down a fellow student with whom he allegedy had a grudge. So far, he was the ONLY known person in the entire system who is able to kill in such cold blood, and witness great amounts of bloodshed without batting an eye. Everyone else was spineless and naive. He ran away to elude justice, and was an assassin from then on. Eye witnesses report obscurely seeing what appears to be long and agonizing torment of victims who have been linked to Leon's string of murder. He was very commonly used by rebels to assassinate high up military and political figures, and at one point, Andross enlisted his help while in exile. That was still before his plans became public knowledge.  
Suspicious activity was picked up below the surface of Titania, and the Cornerian Air Force sent a small squad to investigate. It just so happened that Peppy and James were still a part of the military at the time, though stationed in different areas. It was here that Peppy met a bold and brash individual named Falco Lombardi...who also just happened to work in his same Battalion. Clueless as to what he should do with his life, the blue avian joined the military. He was a footsoldier at the time; a special operative. He and a team of four others were sent to an abandoned base, where they were to spy and scout the area. One other comrade, Katt Monroe, seemed to flirt with him as early as their first encounter despite her better judgment. One other recruit, a Second Lieutenant named Ursa Grills, a Grizzly Bear, was another notable companion with whom Falco kept in touch over the years. He was one of the few consistent friends Falco had. The names of the other two escaped him.  
To make a long story short, the operation was a disaster. The five of them were ambushed by a team of ten Venomians led by a malevolent Chameleon. The two nameless soldiers were captured and never heard from again, while Falco and Katt were seperated from Ursa. The two of them sent out an unanswered distress signal, and spent two long days together before finally escaping. What happened between the two of them was never recorded in any documents, but it seems to be one of the few memories Falco holds dear.  
They found a way out, and encountered Leon once again. It seemed that Lieutenant Grills had shot down most of Leon's team, and the lizard himself killed the rest because they were a burden. He engaged in a deadly hand to hand fight with Falco, and finally caught him in a hold from behind. A large hunting knife pressed against his throat, the only thing that saved him was a sneak attack, courtesy of Katt. Falco was freed, and used the oppurtunity to knock out the cold blooded murderer. They met up with Ursa and escaped using Leon's own ship.

Stranded and defeated, Leon sent a beacon as well. Days later, Pigma rescued him. To ensure that the porcine savior wouldn't simply turn him in for the bounty, Leon paid him and introduced him to Andross...that was where they first came together. From then on, Leon swore eternal vengeance on the first person to ever defeat him in combat.

Falco, meanwhile, swore forever after to never take another ground mission again. While he had previously preferred on-foot missions, the skies were always his specialty, and he decided to stick with that from here on out. Even so...he would leave the military as soon as possible.  
After returning from his mission, he, Katt and Ursa were sent home on leave. Katt Monroe seemed to disappear, while Ursa visited home with him and became an on-and-off friend.  
Several years later, he received a mysterious call from an old, scratchy voice. Peppy Hare and James McCloud decided to retire from the Air Force and form their own team. However...with Andross' rise, James had been murdered, with Pigma as the culprit. With the leader gone, his son dropped out of the flight academy to take the throne, bringing his best friend along as another wingmate. Searching for one last recruit, Peppy explained that Falco was one of the first on his mind. He agreed under the condition that he would never take another ground mission again. As soon as he joined, the four of them were attacked by the newly formed Star Wolf.  
It was a few months before the start of the Venomian war, and it was then that the band of misfits made their place in the world.

Lance's presence reminded Falco of the cold and scaly foe he had faced once more. That face would haunt him for as long as he lived...the light pouring onto one sight of his face, only to compliment the pitch black on the other side. The grungy, scratched up metal of the walls and the mesh pattern of the ceiling above, casting eerie shadows on the rusty walls. The face was just inches away, and the next move was always unpredictable...it was unknown, it struck from the shadows and straight through his feathered heart.  
This human was no different.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Several hours later, the team arrived at a Cornerian base on the red, dusty world of Katina. As he stepped out onto the terrain, Lance couldn't help but be reminded of Mars. He turned around to spot an insignia on the wall. It was a lush, blue planet with a "C" wrapped around it. Two wings protruded from each side.  
He assumed it was the Cornerian Sigil.

After a few introductions and a few run-ins with what he later learned was the Media, he later found himself answering all kinds of questions asked by some old bloodhound in a red uniform. Lance was sitting in a dark room with a single light shining on him from above. He sat on a hard chair, with five faces sitting at a desk a few yards away. All of them were staring at him, and he identified them all as a variety of animals. The bloodhound, an eagle, a croc, a bear, and a bobcat. He was told it was an oral test, although the questions came very easily to him.  
They were simple questions, such as the ones Fox and co. had asked him earlier.

"So is your home planet, Earth, still intact?"

"Declined to state, General."

This was the only one of the aforementioned questions he refused to answer, and they didn't seem to object to this at all.  
When he was finished, they requested a real-time combat evaluation; they had heard what he could do on Sauria, and told him that he couldn't hide his power in Socratic Irony. They even allowed him to use his own firearm. Lance found it astonishing that they would know full well of his possession, much less allow him to keep it. They explained that they wanted his trust, and show him that the Lylat system had no ill will towards him.

He took the evaluation, which mostly composed of sharpshooting and empty-handed combat. He went through several obstacle courses and athletic tests, and returned to the five faces to find a different disposition. Now they were all baffled and fearful. They told him that they had never imagined such ability possible: his level of ability was significantly higher than that of their greatest footsoldier.  
They had exposed him to various forms of Cornerian martial arts, and he picked up even the most advanced techniques in just a couple short repetitions. They also found that he improvised on the battlefield and planned several steps ahead, almost like it was an elaborate, bloody game of chess. The evaluation revealed that, more than just being a good footsoldier, Lance was a good ianything./i  
The tests revealed that he possessed a learning aptitude previously considered impossible.

Lance would come to use their fear to fuel the ever-growing reputation of the human race.

He felt proud, but knew inside how unfair of an advantage he had: because of the unique training his teacher had given him when he was just fifteen, he could learn almost anything in a matter of moments. Back home, what took many martial artists years to learn, only took him a few weeks at the most. It was one of Earth's deepest, darkest secrets, exclusive to the nation known as the United States. Lance must have been one of the most fortunate people on the planet to have had the oppurtunity to experience the fabled "Murder by Numbers" learning system. But that was a long and worthwhile story by itself.

"Mr. McCloud? Major Heeley?" Outside the field, the team who had retrieved the test subject was conversing with the one who had assigned them to the job, patiently waiting for the results.

"Yes? What is it?" Fox stood up, and the rest followed suit.  
A long conversation ensued, resulting in many surprised, impressed and fearful expressions.

"But...how is that possible? No one can learn that fast!" Peppy insisted.

"Evidently, this kid can." the speaker was General Pepper, supreme commander of all Cornerian defense forces. "You see, at first we thought the evaluation would simply reveal his combative stats. While it did that...the later discoveries proved those findings completely useless."

"What do you mean? Did you find something greater?" Krystal inquired.

"Well...it's the explanation as to how he became such a powerful warrior." Pepper gesticulated with a chopping motion of the hand. A screen appeared behind him, a diagram of a brain inside the outline of a dog's head. Next to the head appeared several words:  
--"Eidetic Memory."  
--"Photographic Reflex."  
--"Intuitive Aptitude."  
--"Accelerated Cognition."

"These are all the mental abilities he has. These are all documented anomalies in the field of psychology, and have various side effects, the most notable of which are learning implements. As follows: Eidetic memory, Photographic Reflex, Intuitive Aptitude and Accelerated Cognition. There are others, but they're just side effects of these four."

"Huh? I've never heard of this before." Slippy shrugged and threw up his hands.

"First off: Eidetic memory. It basically means he has an extremely acute memory. You see...we all know that the average amount a person can learn is roughly 5 of what we read. Medical implements can boost it up to about 10. But on occasion an individual may be born with a psychological anomaly; we call them savants. Their learning quo may be anywhere above 10 percent. In this alien's case...that would be 95." The words 'eidetic memory' lit up, and a few jaws dropped in amazement.

"And that's not all." The general continued. "Photographic reflex: The ability to simply learn physical movements through visual observation. Recent studies indicate that the subject typically has an excellent knowledge of physiology, and picks up every little movement, and learns it perfectly. Usually, they also have great motor skills and kinisthetic talent."

"That explains why he learned the Lylat Combatives so quickly!" Falco unfolded his arms.

"Precisely. Better yet...both the skills I've told you so far have something else in common. Usually, when someone learns something, it takes them _even longer_ to develop an ability to use them effectively as second nature. But with Photographic Reflex and Eidetic Memory...everything he learns becomes applied knowledge. He can recall it and use it perfectly...almost like a computer."

"That's amazing!" Krystal's eyes widened.

"And we thought _you_ were a fast learner." Falco shrugged and shook his head at her. Her fur ruffled defensively.

"That applied knowledge is a result of either of those abilities plus something we call 'intuitive aptitude.' The by-product being something psychoanalysts refer to as an "Omni-conscious state,' in which such applied knowledge cannot enter the subconscious realm of thought." The general pointed to the respective words. "This is a great one, too. The user is able to learn and understand how something works just by looking at it. Whether using advanced logic processes or extrapolating from other information, or a combination of the two, the user is able to gain knowledge previously unlearned. Of course...this might also be used to improve some other knowledge."

"Okay, now that's a bit of a stretch." Fox raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, it isn't. He figured out how your Arwing's engine works."

Slippy's eyes widened and he waved his arms around like he was about to throw a tantrum. "No WAY! It took me years to modify that thing! There's no flippin' way someone can just _look _at it and figure it out!"

"Then he must have learned something about rocket science through Eidetic memory." Pepper shrugged as Slippy continued to grumble and kick the ground. He would get over it pretty quickly, though. "Moving on to the final major ability, Accelerated Cognition. Now despite the name, it means nothing more than higher processing ability. He can think faster and process more information than usual, which is actually just something alot of highly intelligent people possess. It's just a slightly higher amount, much less than one may think, but with the other three lined up...it's...quite a significant trait. That's what we saw when he exhibited all those creative strategies and tactics during the field examination. He was always just two steps ahead of all our other soldiers."

Everyone was speechless. All of a sudden, Peppy hated him a whole lot more.

"These are all so powerful that they are considered sub-psychic abilities. Those who think of them as psychic traits classify them as 5th Tier skills, although most mental faculties resemble those of normal people." He snorted and scratched his nose. "It's rare enough for anyone to have just one of these abilities, and in all of Lylatean history only ONE account shows someone who possesses two of these."

There was a long pause, until Peppy finally broke the silence: "Andross." the way he said it seemed to send a chill across the room.

Pepper nodded gravely. "Andross possessed Eidetic Memory and Intuitive Aptitude. It was the reason he was the greatest scientific mind in all of history."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So the team has informed us that you killed in cold blood two mercenaries who accompanied Team Star Wolf back on the Krazoa Palace. Although they did nothing to you, so said Krystal, you still killed them using a Kinetic weapon. How do you answer to these crimes?"  
Back in the dark room where he first began answering questions, Lance was forced to straighten out the events following his untimely awakening. He explained to the interrogator, the previously mentioned Eagle:

"Sir, back home they have a name for me because of what I do: The Blackhearted Hero. It's true that I can kill someone in cold blood. It's true that I won't give their bleeding, nameless corpse a second thought. Countless people I've killed...I can remember each and every face, but most of them...I don't even know their names.  
I've seen things that can't be explained in words, things no one should ever have to see. I was forced to grow up in one of the world's worst shitholes ever seen...the town where the sun doesn't shine."  
There was an awkward silence.

"I've seen friends die right next to me, their heads blown up by what you call 'Kinetic Weapons.' I see that the metal slug plumets through their head, which explodes into a million pieces and splatters my own. I've seen people tortured to death right before me in sick, creative, infinitely painful ways I can't repeat to anyone. I've seen all kinds of things...and it's a wonder I'm still alive now. With all those memories haunting me at night, and no way to push them out of my near-perfect memory, it's no wonder how it can twist someone up like it has me."

"I can see that you Cornerians are innocent...far more so than my people are." He had alot more to say, none of it positive. But he would save that for a later rant; now wasn't the time for such things.  
"I don't know whether to envy or pity you, but please understand. Even though I can kill and torture and all that, just look at _who _I kill and torture. Every time I see someone beaten or oppressed or the like, I see myself. I know the pain they're forced to endure, and I can't stop until I've made it all better for them. The reason I shot those two mercenaries is because they were aiding in whatever sick things that Panther Caruso guy was about to do. I've seen it plenty of times, and it eventually gets very, very predictable." He turned up his nose in disgust, the wrinkles in his face contorting in the light.

"I couldn't stand by and watch it happen. When I saw that look in her eyes, I remembered back to a time when I was helpless to do anything to save myself. That's what I'm all about: I kill...but I kill the oppressors. Gangsters, thugs, murderers, and all the scum I've dealt with every day, that makes your worst look like playground bullies. At the same time, I will never do anything to hurt the weak or innocent, anyone who needs my help. It's now a permanent part of me."

"Maybe I _did _go a little overboard, but I'll be damned if I sit by and watch anything happen."


	9. Chapter 9: Intermission

Chapter 9: Intermission

"Hey...do you think he'll be alright down there?" Slippy pushed his face against the portside of the window on his Arwing, gazing down at the world below. The Team, having delivered the package as ordered, were now free to go on about their business as usual.

A feathered fist waved about in another cockpit. "Who cares? If anything, they should have sent that beast to Venom for all I care." Falco grumbled and cursed the human in the back of his mind.

"I hope we see him again..." Krystal held a hand to her chest. "You didn't feel what I did, Falco."

"We don't _need _to. All we need to know is what he's capable of." Peppy said harshly. His voice was sharper than usual, and cut through her like a knife.

"Whatever the case...I'm sure we'll cross paths again." Fox still pretended as though he didn't care. Now he was irritable, feeling he should have at least thanked Lance for saving his life a few days ago. On the other hand, he also shared Falco's and Peppy's 'anti-Lance' sentiment.  
"With all that memory of his, he'll gain citizenship in no time."

"That's right." Krystal nodded. "It only took me a few weeks, remember? Even though Corneria isn't accustomed to supporting aliens, they did a good job of assimilating me."

"That was _us_, remember? Under military supervision, we taught you." Falco corrected her, offended that she would forget their kindness.

"Oh you know what I meant! What is _wrong _with you people?" All of a sudden, she was getting defensive as well. Throughout this conversation, she was picking up alot of hostility from Fox, Falco and especially Peppy. Even more insulting, they weren't even trying to hide their irritation; it was obvious through their tone.

"We should just calm down, guys." Slippy's voice rang softly through the comm-link. "All that matters is that we got the pay! How much was it, again?"

"Just 6k." Fox answered darkly.

"..." the response was met with Silence. Right about now, Slippy felt downright awful for asking. "...oh. That's not much at all."

"Well...what are you gonna do, right?" Falco sighed heavily and ceased to say anything more on the subject. "We aren't gonna get a soldier's pay for some delivery-boy mission like this one."  
The silence lasted; it hung in the air as everyone's heads hung heavily from their shoulders. Something ebbed away at their minds as a feeling of hopeless, apathetic confusion overcame them all. Finally, they reached their destination and landed their vessels inside the hangar of the Great Fox. Their engines left behind a glorious trails of lavender in empty space, but the lights slowly disappeared as the hatch closed with a loud, metallic click.

Fox let out a great sigh as he heard the familiar hiss of pressurized air escaping the cockpit window. The first thing he would do is crawl into bed. He hoped he would never wake up again.

"Fox, don't forget. Major heeley wants us to stick around a while. We were Lance's first contacts, after all."  
That rabbit's voice was the last thing he heard before his mind drifted off to far off times and lands.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So what exactly was it you needed, ol' swiftbeak ol' pal?" A gruff yet cheerful voice inquired over what appeared to be the receiving end of a small phone.

"Ursa, it's good to hear your voice again." Falco grinned for the first time in days...at least, as well as someone with a beak _could _smile.

"Haha, I believe it! I've got that effect on people, eh?"

"Look, we're getting into something right now...and I'm not sure we'll be able to handle it."

"Is this about that furless, featherless alien you mentioned a couple days ago? If it's that important, why aren't we talking about this in person?"

"Just because." He replied impatiently. "But like I said, I just figured we may as well have a few extra hands on board. You know...just in case."

"I think if that thing wanted you dead, you'd _be _dead by now. At least...that's what _I _heard. Word travels fast among ex-soldiers, don't it?"

"Oh please, that's just the media. Look, just get here as quick as possible. I've got a really bad feeling about this..."

"Huh?" The voice on the other end was confused. "But he's the Air Force's problem now. Why are you so worried?"

"Don't you see? Star Fox already has one alien to take care of. It only makes sense that the military's gonna dump the _second _one on us, too!"

"But why would they do that?"

"Back when we found Krystal, the General said we were her 'first contact' and that we were the most suitable people to watch over her. Now they're telling us the same thing for this guy."

"Oh. Well..." There was a pause. "I dunno. It still seems unlikely." Ursa sighed.

"Look, are you gonna come or not?."

"Buddy..." The voice became stern, but still compassionate. "I'd love to help, but this whole thing is just ridiculous. Second of all...I've got a few problems of my own to deal with over here."

"Problems?"

"Yeah. Remember Katt?"

"Oh. Yes. Why?" The bird's voice darkened. He clearly didn't want to talk about it.

"What's with that voice?" No response. "Falco?"

"I'll talk to you later." He shut off the device and walked away without saying another word.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

It hadn't been much longer than a day before the team got another call. This time, it was a high-priority assignment.

"What in God's name is going on?" Fox stumbled into the bridge, struggling to put on a robe or jacket or some article of clothing. "Who set off the alarm??" Red lights were flashing left and right, accompanied by a loud, obnoxious siren.

He hit a button on a nearby console just as two other figures bashed into eachother trying to get through the door. Slippy and Falco came tumbling in; the latter rolled off of his shoulder and ended up on his feet again. Peppy stepped into the room over Slippy, who was groaning in agony. Krystal followed close behind and stopped to help up the poor Frog.

"Team, I'm glad you're here." Heeley's image appeared on-screen once more. "We have a situation." The siren shut off with the Major's appearance.

"Gee, who'd-a thunk it?" Falco gritted his teeth.

"Sauria is sending a distress call. They're telling us that they're being attacked by some kind of unidentifiable source."

"Great..."

"What's more, the same distress signal the Human's escape pod sent out...is flying about on our scanners once again."

"What? But we found him! The call should have stopped by now!" Fox exclaimed.  
At this point, he just wanted to walk away and never look back on this again. But now that he had gotten this call...he had the feeling that he might never be rid of this 'blackhearted' newcomer.

"That's what we thought. It may just be faulty technology, but we have other reason to believe that this may somehow be connected to his presence here in the Lylat system. That's why we're sending him with you, per his request...he should be there any minute now with two of our escorts."

At that exact moment, they heard a hatch opening far away. It was the gateway into the Great Fox hangar.

"We really need to fix that door..." Slippy raised an eyebrow and glanced at Krystal. She had first boarded the ship the same way: without anyone giving their consent. She just smiled sheepishly at the toad.

"Anyway...get ready. You're currently the most qualified people to take on this mission. We'll have troops flying around Sauria to greet you."

"Why do you need troops down there? Is there an invasion?" Fox inquired.

"Not exactly...a civil war again; sources indicate that a small band of SharpClaw have attacked the EarthWalkers. Just like last time, they're using technology well beyond Saurian capability."  
Before he finished his sentence, the door opened and Lance walked through with a gecko and a mouse.

"New duds?" Slippy asked excitedly. He was referring to the new clothing they had given him. They closely resembled his old clothing: pants with loose legs and a snug wasteline. Paired with nicely fitting boots, metal-plated yet lightweight, it was a great combo for freerunning and kicking. His jacket was the same shape and build as it had been before, and it still looked like he could hide a great deal of weapons somewhere.

"Yeah." It was a simple yet sufficient response. He approached the rest of them warily, cautious as to not offend them with his self-invitation. The two escorts, meanwhile, positioned themselves on either side of the door.

"Corporal Briggs and Strife, permission to leave now." Heeley nodded to the two of them.

The two of them flew off on request, and in a matter of minutes the team was prepped and ready to go.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Hey...I remember you saying something about a 'Crezoic?'" Lance broke a long and awkward silence.

"Krazoa." Fox corrected.

"What exactly are they? I saw the statues and you mentioned that I look like one, but aside from that all I can gather is that they're an ancient, long-gone race from Sauria."

"Just that. It's all we know." the leader shrugged it off. "Other than that, the EarthWalker tribe knows a bit more on the subject. But because of religion or some cultural thing like that they aren't allowed to tell us."

"What we do know is that they were a race highly advanced in a field of study that can only be described as magic...from what we know, at least." Krystal cut in. "Six months ago...when I first met Fox, we had to return their spirits to their shrines in the palace where we found you."

Lance frowned in intrigue at that last part. "Where you found me?" Maybe he _was _connected to them somehow, or maybe they were human as well.

"If we hadn't returned them, the world would have fallen apart. That's their role...to keep the planet in one piece." She concluded.

"Sauria is just a very mystical world in general." Fox added. "We also had to ensure that a few "Spellstones" were placed correctly, or else the world's forces would have torn it apart then, too. Back when I was hired to take on the job, all this mayhem was caused by a member of the SharpClaw tribe...General Scales."

_Is everyone in this system named for their own race?_ Lance thought to himself. Seriously, what kind of parent would name a baby dinosaur 'scales?'

Krystal continued. "I picked up the distress call the EarthWalkers and landed on the surface to investigate. That was before I gained citizenship in the Lylat system. Anyway...when I got there I found one spirit which hadn't yet left the palace, and I placed it in it's statue. Of course...something happened...and I got trapped in the Krazoa Syphon which was initially to be used as some sort of device to return them to the planet."

"By the way you talk, I take it something went wrong?"

"It was a guy named Andross." Fox's fur bristled and his ears lowered. Even though Fox wasn't looking at him, Lance was taken aback, and almost got the vibe that the vulpine would lunge at whoever was unfortunate enough to stand in front of him.  
"He was the one team Star Fox defeated those eight years ago...the Venomian leader. Somehow he retained a presence on the mortal plane, and used his influence to trap Krystal in that...uh...Crystal. He was trying to harness the massive spiritual power of the Krazoa spirits to bring himself back to life."

"This all sounds very farfetched." Lance's frown progressed, which was met by a dismissive wave of Fox's hand.

"Believe what you will. That's how it all happened." He replied dully.  
Lance's questioning continued, and since Fox was too tired to talk, Krystal indulged him instead, telling him everything she knew. It was clear that he had been given much to think about, out of intrigue and curiosity.  
What were the Krazoas? How could he rationally explain all this mysticism going about?

Better yet...this entire system was one huge coincidence. All these sentient beings resembled stupid animals of one sort or another from his home planet. They even spoke the same language. Stranger yet, two aliens, Krystal and Lance, had also come to the system from different planets within a year of eachother.  
Everything was just too impossible...there had to be some kind of logical explanation...could this all be predetermined?  
_Maybe I've just gone nuts? Am I schizophrenic or something?_ Lance looked about, curiously gazing around at the others in the room. It was impossible, yet there they stood before him.

"And you're...an Empath, right?" He asked her after she finished the previous question.

"Well...Esper. Technically."

"Do you think you can tell me how that works?" Since the beginning of time, Humanity had always been fascinated by the prospect of abnormal mental powers, unexplained by science. Lance was no exception: in spite of his rational, cold-hard-logic mentality, he always believed that Psychics _did _exist in one form or another. Though he never believed it to be anything magical or supernatural, he felt that it...just like many other phenomena...could be rationalized within scientific context. After all...humans didn't know everything...yet.

"I'm not sure myself. I left home before they could teach me much about it..."

"Hm? I take it that this was a highly developed field on your homeworld?" He made a mental note: he had to remember that Cerinia was gone in order to avoid hurting her too much. Ever since he had discovered this, he felt such a great amount of pity that it almost made him sick.

"That's right. Some worlds develop science and technology, others through philosophy and mysticism...the latter was the case for Cerinia. Although every Cerinian has the capability of learning some form of psychics, there are a select few such as myself who are born with a natural talent. They called us 'Seers.'"

"You mean like an Indigo Child?" Lance raised an eyebrow.

"A what...?" She tilted her head.  
Falco shook his head in annoyance; even on the other side of the room, he could hear every word of the conversation. Yeah...how dare this bald monkey act like such a moron?  
Everyone else also seemed to be subtly listening.

"Every human can learn, too, from what I've seen." This claim was actually never scientifically proven, but it made little sense to Callahan that any human was capable of something another was not.  
"But people are generally born with varying degrees of talent...we call them Indigo Children; yours, Seers."

"You're psychics, too?"

"Our knowledge on the subject is...limited. But it's always been an object of our interest."

"Are you one of them?" That previous statement piqued her interest.

"Haha...me? No way."

At this moment, Falco leaned suspiciously over to Fox to whisper something. "Hey...you remember what Pepper said about that intuitive aptitude of his...?"

"Sure. Why?" He leaned backwards to inch closer to Falco.

"You don't think he's...you know...do you?"

"What?" Apparently, Falco was suggesting Lance aspired to the impossible. "That's impossible. From what Krystal told me, it takes a while to develop sufficient skill. It's...complicated. But from what Pepper told us, the "Human's" skills lie in his learning; no more."

"Still...I can see it in his eyes...that curiosity. He's taking it all in...analyzing it."

"There's no way, Falco. That's one of the advantages we have over him. He might figure out how it works, but as long as we have Krystal to help us stay inside his head..." He trailed off.

Krystal continued speaking, still preoccupied with the conversation. "I was well on my way to mastery...but I was very young when I was forced to leave home...so my skill is limited." Her ears drooped. "And now...that knowledge is lost forever."

"I'm...sorry to hear that." He openly expressed his sympathy. "I don't really know what to say."

"But...it doesn't matter now. I have a home here." She avoided the subject, and returned to the previous conversation; it was clear that she was enjoying opening up, and it was probably good for her anyway.  
Lance just sat there, absorbing every word...subconsciously piecing everything together...the little Cerinian knowledge Krystal was willing to share, and all the human science that was even remotely related to ESP, PK or anything under that general classification.  
_Damn...for me to develop any skills of my own...seems kinda impractical. It would take way, way too long..._ He had just determined that a normal practitioner would have to arduously cultivate some form of energy to have any influence on the physical world. This greatly disappointed him.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lights flashed and lasers pierced through the air on the surface of Sauria. Even from above the atmosphere, the battle on the planet below was faintly visible. Four Arwings fell into formation, facing the paradise below. One of them carried an extra passenger...who, so far, was unable to fly at all.

"Everyone ready?" A zealous voice spoke over the intercom.

"All systems go!" Slippy responded.

"Let's go down there to kick some tail! Can't wait to show that Scales guy who's boss!" a wide grin peeled across Falco's cocky beak. Lance, seated directly behind him, scowled in response to this.

"Are you sure you're ready for another ground mission, Fox? You were hurt pretty badly last time..." Krystal asked with a bit of a whiny tone.

"Oh it was alot better than it felt at the time...thanks to Lance." He only meant it half-heartedly, but he felt a need to try and include him; not only did they have to welcome him as a new citizen; he had to show gratitude for his own salvation.

"It's what I do." He responded automatically. "I should be doing this alone, though. You still need to recuperate."

"Alright, enough chitchat, guys." Peppy's voice sounded over the intercom. "Fox and Lance, you two hit the ground running and try to do all you can to find Scales and take him down so the Cornerian military take him into custody. Falco, Slippy and Krystal will give you air support, and they'll take him down if he shows up in some crazy machine...like they always do."

_What the hell? A few days ago they hated me for 'taking a few guys down.' How is this any different?_  
This would soon become the subject of many a heated debate between the newcomer and the rest of the team.  
It was about to get a whole lot worse...the Military had ordered him to cease usage of his 'kinetic weapons' at the cost of his freedom. He convinced them to let him keep them, however, claiming that they had 'sentimental value.' While he wasn't going to use them again, (while they could figure it out, at least) they hadn't banned him from using knives...in fact, he was carrying two of them at the moment: A four inch stilleto switchblade and a five inch survival knife.  
They offered him a blaster...which he learned how to use during his assessment...but it was awkard and ineffective in his opinion. Even though it was highly resource-efficient and easy to aim and shoot, it didn't fit his preferences. Corneria had specifically designed it to not kill it's targets...at least on the first hit. Lance was used to dealing with huge recoil and scaring the living daylights out of everyone with the gunblast. In spite of all the weapon's advantages, he planned to ditch it and go rambo when necessary. He had a plan, after all...

"Alright...team Star Fox, move out!" Fox yelled over the intercom. All at once, the four ships plowed through the atmosphere in a glorious blaze of light, disappearing in the heat of the fierce melee


	10. Chapter 10: Back to Basics

Chapter 10: Back to Basics

Things were eerily quiet on the surface. Soon after the group of five had descended through the atmosphere and to the ground, they split up into two units. Krystal and Slippy broke off and headed towards the Thorntail Hollow, while the other three zipped off towards the Krazoa Palace. No one found no sign of the enemy. The former two had already arrived at their destination, and circled around in the sky for nearly half an hour before landing and stepping out into the terrain. When they did, they were informed that the fight had taken place at the palace, and that the lights they saw were no more than a dogfight above the atmosphere. Strange...the Great Fox's sensors had told them otherwise.

Everything was still as green and serene as it had been on their last visit. ThornTails roamed about eating, sleeping, and going about the daily lives of simple Saurians; their prime concern at the moment was nothing more than what to eat for dinner.

Back at the palace, however, Fox and Falco stepped out to escort Lance back to where he had landed in his 'Guardian.' As always, rain fell heavily from the sky and doused the smooth stone ground, now glistening with the reflection of the three pioneers. They were actually at the top of the tower, gazing up at the alter where Fox had recently just rescued Krystal. Behind them stood the now-headless statue of a Krazoa, monumental to Andross' final defeat, courtesy of Fox McCloud himself.

"See it? That's where Andross revived his own remains." the Fox pointed to it, trying to convince him.

"It still doesn't prove anything." Lance responded cynically.

"Who cares? You two just get going already!" Falco waved an arm and began strolling back to the Arwing.

"Falco? Where are you going?" Fox turned to his wingmate.

"Didn't you hear Peppy? I'm giving you guys air support."

"Wouldn't be much use if you couldn't fly inside the palace." Lance pointed out.

"That's why I'm taking care of stuff out here. You two are the footsoldiers." He had already hopped into the cockpit, hitting a few buttons and closing up the windshield.

"Guess it's just you and me." Fox said nervously. He jerked his head towards the palace, motioning for Lance to follow. "By the way, do you know how to use that thing?"  
He added that last part, shooting a glance a the blaster holstered at his side.

"This thing? Yeah. It's energy-efficient...I guess."

"You 'guess'?"

"It's an ineffective weapon."

Fox frowned. "You're mad because you can't immediately kill someone with it?"

"I'm mad because it's my life _and _yours on the line. It's us or them, Fox."  
The conversation ended for a while as they hiked throughout the ruins of the once mighty civilization. Every once in a while, they stopped to look at some mighty structure or statue or device and wonder at it as though the graveyard were one giant museum. They conjured ideas and theorized on the subject, throwing together several ideas at once, none of them fitting together.

"Maybe they became so great that they ascended mortality itself...and moved on into the next realm?" Fox mused.

"Maybe they grew too powerful for their own good and were consumed in their own ambition. Then these lizards down on the surface probably survived and inherited the world."

"What? That's so grim! How would the ruins still be here if they destroyed themselves?"

"Well, I'm not guessing how they did it. But it's just a theory."

"They seem too wise to have done that."

"How would you know? They're all dead!"

Fox, under the impression that all other humans were dead, thought that was a rather odd statement. "One of their spirits came to speak with me."

"Yeah right. That's impossible." Lance immediately remembered his 'spiritual' encounter with a deceased friend of his. He pushed the thought away.

"Well like you said, maybe there's a scientific explanation?"

"Huh. Maybe..."

"There are a lot of things that fit that category, aren't there? Like Krystal's abilities?"

"I guess so."

"You seem to have taken quite an interest in them."

"Psychics is a widely fascinating subject among humans. You can't blame me for wanting to hear the truth."

"But we haven't gotten that far. How could you know?"

"Our findings are very different. When you put together Human and Cornerian knowledge, the result is pretty exciting."

"What did you find?"

"That it would take me years to get a desirable power..." He snorted and frowned.

"Oh. How did she do it? Was it the whole...Seer and Indigo thing?" Fox held a hand out for an explanation.

"That's right. For me though...ugh. Not worth it." Lance shrugged.

"So you're not going for it?" In truth, Fox felt relieved.

"Nah. Let's go on." The two continued to walk, and Fox decided to give him a way out and leave him be for now. Moments later, Lance spoke again. "I don't think I ever explained my actions the first time we met."

"Huh? Isn't it kinda odd to apologize for something like that?" Fox asked him, slightly befuddled.

"Who's apologizing? I'm only explaining." He repeated. "Not all humans are...were...like that, but it was undoubtedly more common than on Corneria."

"So...how are you one of them?"

"I had to callous myself like that...in order to survive."

"Can you explain that one to me?" Lance explained to him the concept of gangs and the crime level on Earth.

"I just don't want to give you the wrong impression. As long as I'm here in the Lylat system..."

"Forget about it. We haven't been like that since your era."

"My era?"

"About a millenium or so ago, Corneria had just entered the space age. It was like you said: 'Society changes alongside technology.' So I guess we gradually got more and more peaceful. We used to have feudalism and all that, too. Just...not anymore. The law and methods of enforcing it are alot more efficient than they were way back when. So...I'd eat my left shoe if anyone here has to deal with the stuff you say Earth has."

"Sounds nice." Lance said. His expression was brighter, but he felt some kind of irritation deep down. It was as if the easy life had made everyone ignorant and naive...since there were no more gangs or terrible crime in the system like Earth had, there were no more victims...which could only mean ignorance.

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

"Hey...how did you guys all integrate?" Lance said at last.

"Integrate? What's that?"

"You know...racially."

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

"Well..." Lance scratched the back of his head. He wasn't sure if the subject was as sensitive here as it was back home, and he was struggling to find a tactful way to ask.  
"Humans are the only sentient, dominant race of Earthlings. But you guys...you Cornerians...most of you aren't even the same species. During the little studying I got from the military, I never heard any explanation."

Fox stood there, puzzled. He was staring off into space, trying to figure the question out. "I...I never thought about it." Lance was just relieved that he didn't offend the vulpine, who just finished speaking that last thought. "I guess we were always together."

"Hm..." Lance put a hand to his chin, thinking deeply.  
_It's amazing...they all live together in complete harmony. Humans, meanwhile, have to discriminate in such insignificant ways as race...and we end up fighting eachother instead of unifying as a single entity.  
These people even consider cross-breeding perfectly acceptable; from what I've heard...during the education...what I heard about Falco...it happens all the time._

"Hey? Are you alright?" Fox raised an eyebrow.

"You guys don't think anything of cross-breeding..."

"Huh? Why wouldn't we? We're all sentient species, aren't we?"

Lance scowled off in the distance. The thought to him was utterly disgusting. Another ethnicity was one thing, like red fox/blue fox, white human/black human, but two races...like falco and this "Katt Monroe"...it was repulsive.  
Then again...there were several people back home who might disagree with him. He shuddered again.

"Nothing." Lance responded. He tried to wave it off.

"Most of us don't, though. We tend to gravitate towards our own kind."

"Like you and Krystal?" He was ahead of Fox, and said this last part without even looking at him. Much to his surprise, Fox overreacted to the inquiry.

"W-w-what?? it's not like...we're not...where did that come from??" His ears and tail jumped as he fumbled for words.

Lance turned around with the biggest, most devilish grin Fox had ever seen. It was surprising that Lance could smile at all. "You seem to be overreacting a tad." He raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Well what do you expect? I mean...why would I...?? You're too young for these conversations!"

"I'm 20."

"26! Ha! Gotta wait a few more years for this kind of thing, I'm afraid."

"Technically, I'm 68." Lance raised his eyebrow and grinned again. That piercing stare of his wasn't helping Fox at all.

"What about you?"

"What _about _me?"

"You don't seem like the romantic type."

"I'm not. It would get in the way of my job."

"Oh. I guess so."

He decided to start tormenting Fox some more. "Which means you should stop coming onto Krystal, eh?"

Fox just exploded. "Will you stop doing that??"

Eventually the two of them just erupted laughing. As they stopped, they walked off in silence, occasionally chuckling. "You're alot more likeable when you aren't toting firearms." Fox said at last. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say, but Lance took it fine.

"I do what I have to. Your girlfriend would have been dead if I hadn't."

"I didn't mean to bring that back up."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Lance snorted. "Anyway...you furries aren't too bad yourselves."

Perhaps it was because they both anticipated that they would be working together for a long time, but they were getting closer, little by little. Nonetheless, both of them knew that no matter how close they could possibly get, whatever friendship that took place would be a very rough one, filled with many an arguement and an ongoing war of ideologies.  
But such was life.

"Hey...isn't this the place?" Lance asked. They had arrived at a hole in the wall. There was a small trench in the ground leading over to the hole and a pile of rubble, suggesting the path he had taken to land on the planet.

"I think so...but where did it go?" Fox looked around before switching on the communications on his arm band.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Uk cujk...ceebj cabo no'lo vaducc0 veidt kxo fenoh no joob, ox re0j?" A hissing, sinister voice called out.  
**"At last...looks like we've finally found the power we seek, eh boys?"**  
The voice was unmistakable. General scales, come with his few loyal followers, had come upon a power the likes of which the Lylat system had been frantically searching for during the previous week.  
But they had all found Lance, and assumed that he was all there was.

But the last person anyone expected to make the discovery had just found something even better: Lance's Guardian. It floated above four other SharpClaw, now reformed into some kind of twisted monster, which faintly resembled a cross between a RedEye and some sort of dragon. The metal had blackened and darkened, and instead of shining like it had before, was now soiled and cloudy. Where the eyes and the rest of the machine's aura had once been a vibrant green, a murderous torrent of red pulsed and throbbed throughout.

"Umuqadw xen kxo uffouhudso xuj sxudwot jadso vuccadw idtoh m0 semmudt. De mukkoh...ak aj m0 ke0 den udt A nacc ijo ak uj A joo vak."  
**"An adaptable machine...powerful yet flexible, it resisted my will at first. But no matter...it is my toy now and I will use it as I see fit."**

A hole opened up in the Guardian's forehead, and an 8 foot tall, 400 pound SharpClaw chief emerged from the crevice. He hopped down to the ground with a huge thud, droplets of water sloshing about. He turned around and spoke to a sixth unseen subject. "0ei kxoho...A'm khijkadw 0ei ke odjiho kxuk kxaj tolaso aj vadajxot j0fxedadw evv ucc kxo Krazoas' odohw0 r0 kxo kamo A hokihd. Odjiho kxuk eih lajakehj ted'k tajkihr ij tihadw kxo fhesojj."  
**My dear...I'm trusting you to ensure that this device is finished syphoning off all the Krazoas' energy by the time I return. Ensure that our visitors don't disturb us during the process.**

**"You can count on me, sir."** a more feminine voice answered the call. A petite, reptilian figure crept out from behind the Guardian, a claw caressing it's surface. **"What will you do in the meantime?"**

**"The devices our friend Andross left me show that a familiar face has returned to haunt me once more."** He clenched his fist with violent intent, and held up his other hand...or what would be a hand, if a two-pronged claw weren't mounted on his wrist.  
**"If it weren't for that troublesome dog, all of Sauria would be unified and I would reign supreme! The tribes would be united under a single flag, and we would rival those arrogant bipeds of Corneria!"**

His young comrade dare not argue. **"All that will change soon. The advent of this device must be a sign from Krazoa that we are chosen to rule." **

**"True though it may be, we cannot yet celebrate."** Scales aimed his claw at a nearby ground troop.  
**"There lives the only other person who knows how this device works. The young Krazoa himself...this alleged 'alien' the rest of the known world has been after."**

**"What will you do about him?"**

**"It won't matter if we finish absorbing the spirits. If he arrives, I'll simply kill him."**

**"The world's communications hub is telling everyone that he's from a warrior tribe...and that he's stronger than any bipedal creature the system has ever seen."**

**"It doesn't matter."** repeated Scales**. "There has never been an opponent I could not overcome. Soon...there will be no **_**army **_**to stand in my way."** He turned, red eyes glaring greedily up at the Guardian. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a spectral ball of indigo light floating in from the south. It was a Krazoa spirit, writhing in the air as though it were swimming against a ferocious current.

**"Haha! Here comes one now!"** Scales exclaimed. The spirit shouted out in an incomprehensible, spectral gibberish. It let out a final shriek as it was sucked into the Guardian's heart.

**"That makes two so far. If you were able to accomplish what you did with just one...imagine the synergy of all six!"** The female SharpClaw said to him.

**"My dear...when we rule...I will personally deliver Corneria to you. Haha..."** He bowed low and turned to walk away.

**"...I don't trust him"** the female said to a nearby soldier as soon as her leader had left. **"I ought to take this power from under his nose. Two spirits is enough...don't you think?"**

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

It wasn't long at all before the two were lost. For nearly an hour they had been searching for the long, lost guardian...but to no avail.

"This isn't right. Things like that don't just stand up and walk away..." Fox scratched his ear.

"This one does. Trust me."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, that's right. I've only told Slippy. This thing...this 'escape pod' was actually an advanced piece of technology that can change shape at will. It emulates any biological or mechanical existence it's program can comprehend."

"Kinda like you in a way?"

"Uh...I guess so." He put a hand on his hip. "It actually belonged to another friend of mine...but I ended up using it. Maybe someone else "inherited" it somehow...but that's what I'm trying to figure out right about now."

"You've been thinking about this."

"That I have."

"So...you don't think...that these invaders, whoever they might be, got their hands on it?"

"Either that or it gained a will of it's own. Considering it has it's own programming...I guess it's not all that improbable."

At that moment, four jets came rushing in: Three of them were the grungy SharpClaw model, and the third was none other than Falco, shooting them all down with expert accuracy.

"Yeah, Falco!" Fox leaped into the air and threw his fist around. Falco did a somersault for show, and flew off to blast away some more enemies.  
Alot of them were emerging once more...far too many. Most of them brought heavy machinery, as suggested by the fact that Falco was firing at something on the ground.

"We'd better run!" Fox took off with Lance close behind; it surprised the human how fast Fox was on foot.

They encountered a few SharpClaw, met by profuse blaster fire. None of them could win; Fox and Lance both had superior firearms.  
The furless soldier kept cursing out loud about how the enemy kept coming and coming, and that if he had his own weapons that it wouldn't happen. All these weapons could do, as far as he knew, was simply knock the opponent cold. If blasters were even capable of killing...it would take a great many hits.

The two of them eventually escaped the hordes, and all was silent again.  
"Christ...that was mayhem." Lance muttered as he holstered his blaster. He continued cursing at how none of the SharpClaw had been killed; it bothered him because numerous other Dinos had been killed on the land outside the palace...something neither of them had seen yet.

"Hold that thought...someone's coming." Fox held a hand up to Lance and listened carefully. Eventually, both of them heard a slow, rhythmic trundling sound. THey looked at eachother and then to the back over their shoulders. The sound grew louder and faster as something awful emerged from the shadows of a structure about 100 yards away: A large, scaly green figure garbed in simple cloth and armor suggestive of political or military power.  
"Scales??" Fox whirled around and stood upright. "I should have known!"

Lance's jaw just dropped. "What the shit??" Few other words could describe how a puny human could feel after spotting a giant, carnivorous dinosaur with a sword and armor.

"Ep!"  
**"Fox!"** Scales yelled out and roared a great, beastial roar. He began jogging and accelerated into a run. Much to Fox's surprise, Lance met this with a charge of his own.

"What?? NO! You idiot!" Fox held up his hand as if to stop him, but it was too late. Scales, a huge, dragonesque monster, was raging forwards like an runaway train. Then something unexpected happened: the human leaped into the air with one knee aimed for Scales' face.  
Fox watched in horror as time froze around him. Everyone had an expression with a sense of "maybe this isn't such a good idea."

That dumbfounded, shocked expression in front of him was eternally burned into Lance's memory; it was priceless. As his knee collided with the side of his snout, reinforced by 170 pounds of fiersome, compact muscle, Scales fell straight backwards onto his backside. As soon as it happened, Lance raised his elbow and landed two consecutive blows on the same spot. He leaped over the reptilian head and hit the ground running at a speed he never knew he had.  
_Shitshitshitshitshitshit!_ new words would have to be invented to describe his own surprise. A single flying knee and two cinderblock elbows.

He got lucky, because the circumstances were perfect. Huge and powerful or not, Scales was bound to go down with that weight and power focused into the side of his face. The human was far more skilled than anyone there...but it wouldn't make a bit of difference; Scales was far too big and strong. Lance knew how to take down large enemies, but the General's unusual physiology would render all the techniques and strategies useless. His only option right now was to force an opening and run like hell. He hesitated just long enough to turn and shout out for Fox run as well. It was futile, as Fox was already running off to who knew where, and Scales was already standing again, charging after the human.

_Goddamnit!_ Lance turned and started running again, with Scales hot on his trail, coming closer with every passing step.  
He tried to weave in and out of his own path, trying everything possible to shake the vicious tyrant behind him.

**KRAZOA! I will crush you!! No one will stand in my way again!** He spoke in thick Saurian, and Lance didn't understand a word of it. He didn't need to; it was clear that he was mincemeat if Scales caught him.  
He needed to distance himself so he could find the time to gather his thoughts and devise a plan. He found his chance when he ran through a ruined corridor with various pieces of stone and steel scattered about haphazardly. At the top of a heap of rubble, a small, square opening in the wall led to untold freedom.  
_He may be faster, but I'm more mobile._ Lance thought to himself as he scurried up the pile of rocks and through the tunnel.

_Alright..._ His thoughts swarmed together as he heard banging and screeching below him. _Reptiles can see pretty well, what with the heat vision...and the heat also gives them energy, to a certain extent. I remember where the boiler room is, and if I could lead him in there, that would cloak my motion. If I headed off to the food storage where all those pods and eggs are, he'll be too cold to fight, but then I'd be too visible._ He dropped from an opening in the wall, right in front of a caged door. All across the other side of the room, there were platforms raised out of the crystal clear water. The loud noises were far off, but getting closer and closer.

_But would my visibility matter? He could also smell me. But that's easily fixed..._ All of a sudden, that familiar claw plowed through the door, and that Saurian cursing continued. Lance saw those two terrible red eyes before taking off again, trying to recall the palace's blueprint in his mind. As he rounded the corner into the open shaft of the main tower, he recognized the exact indent in the wall he had seen on his previous visit here. He leaped through it just as Scales emerged into the large room as well.

A wave of cold air hit his face, and ice crunched underneath his shoes as he landed. The room was dimly lit, and various edibles were scattered about.He immediately removed his coat and hung it on the nearest statue he could find. This would hopefully draw scales sense of smell away from Lance as he made his next move. He threw himself into the ice on the ground and began rolling around profusely. The cold pierced him like a thousand knives, but it was better than the alternative.

He stood up and jumped behind a nearby pillar as the sound of a heavy footstep hung in the air. The BlackHearted Hero froze...literally. It was good, too, because Scales apparently didn't see him. _I'll make some kinda "Cold Hearted Hero" joke later on..._

"Xuxu...je 0ei fcud ke rcadt mo nakx kxo sect? Loh0 jmuhk, 0eidw Krazoa..."  
**"Haha...so you plan to blind me with the cold? Very smart, young Krazoa..."**  
Lance silently stepped around the perimeter of the room, unsheathing the survival knife under his left pantleg.

"Rik dek jmuhk odeiwx...uvkoh ucc, A sud jkacc jmocc 0ei!"  
**"But not smart enough...after all, I can still smell you!"** Scales swung an arm, slashing the statue in half...and in effect, Lance's jacket along with it. A puzzled look crossed his face, and before he knew what was happening, he felt the human throw his weight over his shoulders from behind, and then all of a sudden he couldn't breathe. He didn't feel the pain until moments later, when he was lying in a pool of his own blood. Scales tried to yell out in rage and agony, despairing that he would never see his goal accomplished...but the air escaped through the large slice in his throat.

And then there was only the cold. Scales faded away in the Krazoa palace...and was never heard from again.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A third spirit had just been absorbed up on the surface, and Fox had returned to his Arwing by now. Lance's guardian was moving about on it's own accord, firing blast after blast after Fox and Falco's Arwings.

"Do a Barrel Roll!" Falco called out, making the maneuver himself.

Fox mimicked the motion, deflecting several blasts. "You remind me of a certain someone we all know."

"I need to stop hanging around you guys, y'know?"

The two of them flew in and out, aiming at the heart of the great, metallic beast. In response, it reformed into some kind of dragon and began flying after the two of them.

"Geez! What the heck did that kid bring with him??" Falco shouted. He somersaulted, just barely dodging the Guardian, before firing a smart bomb. It missed, destroying a nearby wall instead.

"Watch where you shoot that thing, Falco!" Fox let loose a bomb of his own, which actually hit the target.

"Heh. Lucky shot." responded Falco. "I'm still the best you've got.

"Yeah, yeah. Big talk."

This all would have been very easy for them, but considering the amount of power the Guardian had at it's disposal, destroying it would be no easy task. It turned around with a giant orb of swirling, pulsating light in it's gaping maw.

"Fox! Look out!" Falco swerved hard out of the way, and Fox the other. The two of them barely missed a beam of purple light which destroyed several more stone structures of the Palace.

"We have to stop him now! Otherwise, the entire Palace is gonna be gone soon!" Falco spoke up again.

"As long as we keep the shrines safe, the Spirits will fix everything once they're free." A new voice spoke to them; this time it was Peppy. His face appeared on the screen in both their Arwings.  
"How you guys holding up?"

"This isn't as hard as we thought it would be." Falco shrugged.

"Don't Jinx it, Falco. Slippy's and Krystal's analysis shows that this thing was specifically built to channel spiritual energy similar to that of the Krazoas. Once it kicks in...well, let's just hope it doesn't."

"When did they get the time to analyze that?" Fox demanded.

"The two of them just returned from their reconnaissance. Only the Palace was attacked, and they each traced that enemy of yours."

"Hey...is that...?" Falco looked out the side of his window. His eyes widened at what he saw. "That...IDIOT!!"

"What? What??" Peppy's head turned around, but the hologram couldn't see out of the Arwing. "I can't see!"

"It's Lance! Is he alive?" Fox swooped in low to shoot at the Guardian some more.

"What does _that _mean?" Peppy yelled again.

"Scales took off after him! I tried to get to my Arwing and help out, but they already ran inside by the time I was in the air!"

"Well, he doesn't look too good right now." Falco stated grimly.

Lance was busy trying not to get blown to pieces. The Guardian...which had saved his life before, fought by his side nearly half a century ago, and belonged to his best friend...was now about to kill him.  
He was already beaten and bruised, sitting flat on the ground, clutching his left arm; he had been let off with just a dislocated shoulder. He thought he could even take on the Guardian: it's command had been handed over to him.

It worked through a direct mental connection. When he left home, it's former owner, a man known as "Ash 'Ax' Barton" had given Lance complete control in hopes that he would successfully save their world.  
It made no sense at all that it would disobey him now. But nothing in this new world made sense...and he was about to die because of his arrogance. He clenched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut...the guardian had just raised it's arm, burning in a vehement, red aura. It was met with tenacious laser fire from two Arwings. He opened his eyes to the blinding light, and stood to run as fast as his tired legs could carry him. A large blast of pure energy exploded, barely missing him by a few feet. He was blinded by it, and tried to open his eyes.

He was too dazed and confused to see it, but the impact had knocked him hard against a wall. He couldn't breathe, and he stared vacantly at the battle before him. A soft, purple light floated past, struggling against some invisible force. Lance saw that it was a floating, disembodied head resembling that of the numerous "Krazoa" Statues scattered around the palace. As he stared more at it, they made eye contact, and his gaze seemed to quell the spirit's fury.

It was the last thing he saw...because he died right there on the steps...on the hopeful world on which he was supposed to start his new life.


	11. Chapter 11: Price of Life Grows Cheaper

Chapter 11: The Price of Life Grows Cheaper

Allegiance is false, and truth is a myth. Wherever a tyrant reigns supreme and stomps flat his people and enemies alike, wherever life is threatened and restrained and beaten to the ground, a leader steps up to the plate to defy the world and challenge the gods. But inevitably glory and power is thrust upon that same hero, and he in turn becomes the almighty ruler, until the next generation rises up and overthrows him.  
Such is the nature of the SharpClaw tribe. Scales stood as a testament to this endless, horrid cycle. In days past he aspired to unify all the tribes of Sauria into one single nation. As more began to follow him, he began to believe that the SharpClaw should reign as the leading tribe. Finally, greed consumed him as the deceased spirit of Andross revealed technology superior even to Corneria. In exchange, the charismatic leader of the SharpClaw would have to sacrifice the freedom of the rest of the world.

Now that he was out of the picture, another was destined to take up his place. In his foolish absence, his young assistant had taken control of the Guardian. She hopped inside with ease and assimilated herself into it using the same technology her predecessor, Scales had used: It was a device similar to the Guardian, but more geared towards rewriting programs of any form, and adjusting them to the user's best advantage.

Needless to say...it worked.

The human emerged from the depths of the tower covered in blood. She saw that he was in perfect health, and assumed...with good reason...that it was the blood of her master. It was an odd feeling...she had conspired against Scales for years, but it was totally different in practice. She now felt sad and empty upon seeing that blood.  
Death was an unpredictable, earthshaking thing. It was near impossible to get over it after seeing it once. And even after cutting down faceless nobodies one after another, it's an entirely different story when someone close and beloved passes on.

The human attempted to take control of the Guardian, and she felt it from within. His will began ensnaring the machine, but for whatever reason, he was unable to regain control over it. From within, the SharpClaw felt his mind, but pushed it out with ease. Perhaps it was the massive power she possessed through the Krazoa spirits?

But there was something else...there was another presence...one she couldn't quite trace. It wasn't the machine, it wasn't Scales, and it certainly wouldn't be Andross. She felt it...as if a set of hateful, malevolent eyes were staring right through her. She felt like running to the far corners of the world, and shrouding herself in darkness.

But the sensation subsided as she began hammering away at the Cosmic Castaway known as "Lance Callahan." It surprised her how he was able to escape her attacks for so long...but skilled and crafty though he may be, he was still mortal, and it was only a matter of time before she scored several hits. During the fight, two fighter planes swooped in to begin their attack. She was caught between all of them, exchanging blows with the Arwings and trying to crush the person whom her leader suggested may be a serious threat.

Not only did he know the design of the Guardian better than they did; Scales believed he was a Krazoa, and therefore had supernatural powers. Whether or not any of it was true, it would soon be meaningless. For now he lay motionless on the steps before a nearby Cathedral.

**"You Cornerians! This time will be different...you may claim superiority but we will prove ourselves!"**

"Peppy, can you translate that for me?" Fox began circling the air around the Guardian...now in the form of some sort of dragon.

"She seems to think they're all being oppressed by Corneria." Peppy replied cynically.

"And it's that kind of negative mentality that put the SharpClaw in the sorry state they're in now!" Two other Arwings shot in from the North, and Krystal's voice projected over the comlink. Slippy's soon followed: "Yeah! The good guys always win, so you guys had better give up right now! Yeah!"

"Krystal! Slippy!" Fox yelled excitedly. "I'm so glad you two are here! Look...we need some serious help here!"

The four of them fell into a diamond formation, and charged towards the Pseudo-Dragon, now at the peak of it's power. The beast surrounded itself in flame and flew straight through the formation, missing every one as they scattered about and returned fire. An aura exploded from it's wings, sending the four aircrafts spiralling out of control.

"Ah! Foooox!!" Krystal's Arwing hit the side of a nearby Krazoa statue, thereby decapitating it.

"Krystal!" Fox pulled an immediate U-turn to fly towards her; he found himself worrying about her much more than he had before. The Arwing pulled to a halt when he spotted her from above, opening up the cockpit and stepping out. She was shaken and frightened, but still in one piece.  
The excessive amount of worry eluded the vulpine. He wondered as to why he suddenly cared so much more about her well-being. _Maybe Lance was right...? No, NO. It couldn't be. Get a grip_. Then it occurred to him. _Oh God, LANCE!_ Fox slapped himself on the forehead.

"Guys! Cover me! I've got to go down to the surface!"

That wouldn't be necessary, actually. They had fought off the giant monstrosity long enough. The team had seen worse in their days, and the raptor inside the mech had made enough of a mistake simply by attempting to harness such a supernatural power.  
As the Guardian's current pilot spotted a fourth spirit slowly drifting in her direction, excitement filled her, eminating throughout the entire metallic body around her. But then something happened: she froze up. The red aura around the Guardian disappeared, and it stiffened up as it plummeted to the ground with a crash.

**"No! No no no no no! How can this be?? I haven't even finished fighting yet!"** She was trapped, surrounded by steel and darkness without any exit.

"What...what just happened?" Falco circled overhead, breaking through the cloud of dust. "Did we win already?"

"I...I guess so." Slippy mused. "I was hoping to get in on the action...that thing didn't look so tough."

Krystal had leaped behind the Arwing for cover, just in the nick of time. She poked her head over the top of the vessel, wondering at how she managed to dodge all the chunks of rock and debris that had just soared past her.

It was a miracle that Fox had found a place to land, what with all the upheavel of stone. Heavy, booted feet stomped along the ground as he came to where Krystal sat. "Hey, are you hurt?"

"Oh..." If she could have blushed through all that fur, she would have. "Only my pride."

"Good...that's good." he sighed. "We have to find Lance. Can you sense him?"

She blinked in confusion. "I can't sense anyone. He must not be here."

In a few moments, their eyes widened at the sudden realization. "Uh oh."  
The clouds of dust had now dispersed just enough for them to see through them; Then they saw him lying there on the steps, crumpled up in a heap of blood and broken bones.

"No!" The two of them exclaimed at the same time. But something else caught their eye: the Krazoa spirit which had been recently resisted the pull of the Guardian drifted towards the heap of flesh, floating over his head, chanting the same sounds it always emitted, that familiar, echoing, chattering sound. A blinding, white light flashed behind them, and the three previously imprisoned Krazoa emerged, converging around the corpse.

"What are they doing?" Peppy's voice spoke through the unit on Fox's arm.

He was too stunned to answer, as the four disappeared into the mangled body. The blood on the steps began to suck back into his body as he was heaved to his feet like a puppet on a string. Sickening, crackling sounds echoed throughout the premeses as bones shifted back into place. The Human stood there, still unconscious, eyes still closed. But in a moment, they opened back up, ablaze with a dark violet color. His iris were a solid purple, and the rest of his eyes reflected a sort of fire of the same hue. But it all disappeared...he shouted in pain and shock as the four shot out of his body like burning rockets; the remaining two appeared, drifting from over the edge of the palace to fix what the fighters had all but ruined.

On his knees, the wide-eyed human stared at his hands. Then he spoke only words his foggy mind could procure: "What the fuck?!"

Staring in amazement, the two foxes turned to glance at eachother.  
"Why...? Why did they do that?" Fox wondered at last.

The purple light continued to pulsate as the spirits flew on about their own paths, with various chunks of stone floating about and merging back together into their previous formations.

"I...I don't know." Krystal shook her head.

Lance was already his normal self, it seemed...though he was still shaking from the excitement of it all, he was already trying to explain it to himself and the others.  
"It was...it was the Guardian...I bet. Somehow, she lost control...and my will...must have channeled the spirits into me...I don't know."

It was an inaccurate explanation. The Spirits had reason to let him live...but it would be a good, long while before he finally learned why. But part of his explanation _was _true: his death had sparked something within the guardian.  
The female SharpClaw, who had attempted to flee the scene, tried to claw her way towards him; she had somehow injured herself, and was face down on the ground, pulling herself with one arm. But instead of tenacious hatred, there was an unexplained fear in her teary eyes as she looked up at him for help.

"Fcoujo! Xocf mo! Xo'j adjato m0 xout! Xocf mo! 0ei'ho kxo edc0 edo...kxo edc0 edo...kxo cujk Human nxe sud..."  
The human didn't care to understand...she had tried to kill him, and her plea only proved to him that she was a coward. But she wasn't pleading for mercy...there was something else after her.

"Kxo Human...Ax...oei uho Krazoas... oei'ho..." her ranting was cut short by a blood curdling scream, though it came from her own mouth. She lay motionless for a few moments, before gazing back up at him with a different expression. Now she showed a soft smile, as if she had mothered the human his whole life.

"Ah...the famed BlackHearted Hero. So nice to see you...after all these years."

Lance's eyes widened. Hands shaking, he scrambled down to look her in the eyes. "What did you say?? I haven't told anyone about that title yet! How the hell do you know about it??"

She didn't answer; she just continued staring up at him for the next few seconds with that stupid grin before falling unconscious. He picked her up by the straps of her breastplate and shook her violently.  
"Answer me, you bitch! How the fuck do you know that? How could you possibly know?" It was useless; she couldn't answer. Even though he continued to swear and scream at her, no words came and her eyes never opened. He gave up and tossed her aside in rage.

"Shit..." He cursed. "I'll ask her when she wakes up."

By now, the other two pilots had landed, and were standing next to their leader and lone female member. "Why is this such a big deal?" She inquired.

It was a long time before he finally answered. "She knew something she shouldn't have. Something I haven't told anyone in this entire system." He turned to face them. "Back home...I was kinda famous. They called me the 'Blackhearted Hero.' I think you guys have witnessed why I've been given a name like that." He pointed to fingers to Fox and Krystal. Falco and Slippy turned inwards to look at the two of them.

"Because of the..." Something inside of her seemed to hammer her. She remembered those awful corpses...the thunderous shots that rang through the air as blood splashed out of their helpless bodies.

Lance noted that she had underreacted at the sight. It hinted at the fact that she had already witnessed death firsthand, in one form or another. Judging by what everyone else thought of him, she had probably seen other refugees die in front of her.  
_Poor thing. Now I just feel rotten._

Fox put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Lance walked forward, continuing to speak. "What's more...that thing was mine. It was my Guardian. How did those Lizards figure out how to take control of it?"

Slippy answered it for him. "The technology Andross left them must have done it. But judging by the number we did on them, they'll have nothing left..."

"But why would those Krazoas try to help me out like that?"

Falco responded this time. "Hey, maybe they mistook you for their own." He shrugged and shook his head. "You baldies all look the same."

Lance scowled at him. "You're one to talk..."

"It actually makes sense." Fox said. "If we were lucky enough to find Krystal...who's genes almost perfectly resembled that of a Cornerian Fox...maybe we also got lucky enough to find a lone Krazoa out there in space. Or better yet...maybe that's what happened to them!"

"Huh?"

"Thousands of years ago, they disappeared. Maybe they just headed for a different planet...Earth...and you guys are the result!"

"We look nothing alike. I told you that already." Lance peered up at the metallic head of a Krazoa, floating back up onto the shoulders of it's respective statue. The spirit flew out of the body and disappeared.

"Hey...I just..." Fox put a hand in front of his muzzle with a mortified look on his face. "Wha-what's that smell? If you're still alive...why are you still...bleeding?"

"Oh, this?" Lance looked down at himself. His entire right arm, and right side of his coat was covered in blood. "That's actually that 'Scales' guy's blood."

Everyone's eyes widened. "You...I can't believe it!" Falco shouted, making a horizontal slashing motion with his wing. In truth, he was more surprised about his capabilities than his tendencies.

"You guys said it yourself. Many innocents would have died if he stayed in power."

"That's not the point!" Krystal shrieked, causing Lance to take a defensive step backwards. Her eyes were filled with a startling fury.  
"It's horrible that you do things like that! I don't care what your motivation is, you're just a savage! A cold blooded killer!"

"..." It was strange that she hadn't reacted this way during the previous killing. He was already trying to figure her out...in a twisted way, her complex personality only stimulated his curiosity.  
"Fox?" He turned to McCloud, wondering what his thoughts were. He just frowned and avoided eye contact. He got the same reaction from Falco, and Slippy just hung his head in sadness. Krystal's sobbing was the only sound that pierced the terrible silence.

"Huh. This from a bunch of mercenaries. Would you rather I enjoy killing like you do?" Almost perfectly timed, lightning flashed in the rainy background. Everyone's expressions changed to pain and fury.

"What?! How dare you!" Falco roared, taking a challenging step forward.

"It's true. You're all playful murderers. Just like a bunch of sadistic children, death is a game to you."

"What? How dare you accuse us of that?! On what grounds?" Fox was shaking, placing a hand on his blaster.

"I came upon the conclusion on our way here...I didn't want to point it out because I thought you were just ignorant...too stupid to see it yourselves. Remember how you guys had to shoot down those SharpClaw fighter crafts on our way here?"

"What about it?" Fox yelled threateningly.

"Now...do you remember when you shot the bogey Falco was chasing down? How when you shot it down, Falco yelled at you for 'taking his catch,' and you just laughed?" A horrid shadow had fallen over his twisted face, and his voice cut them like a knife. Slippy got the feeling that they were being circled by a horde of hungry sharks.

"I..." Fox's face weakened as it slowly dawned on him. Falco, equally stumped, turned his head with a snap to glance at Fox.

"That's right...now you see?" He slowly strolled over to the group of four, lightning flashing once more.  
"You take lives on a regular basis...without even thinking. You _compete_ to shoot down as many as possible, all the while racking up points and earning badges to show off how many people you've killed. How many lives have you all taken? How many families have you torn apart with those Arwings of yours?"

"We had to! Lives were at stake!" Slippy shouted.

The human snickered. He noticed how, now that they had talked themselves into a hole, they had suddenly adopted his own beliefs. "You haven't seen lives taken in front of you...you've never felt their very soul leave their body...never seen their brains ripped out of their own heads or guts ripped out of their still breathing chests...never had as many friends as I've had die before you. Instead, you shoot from planes and ships, and all you see is a lifeless machine fall smashing to the ground. For all you know, there's nothing living in there. Tell me, do you even hear their screams as they plumet to the ground in that flaming ball of metal?"

"Stop it! Just shut up!" Fox yelled.

"It's a sound that stays with you forever. It's something that never leaves you. Even in sleep you aren't safe...once you see death firsthand, it creeps into every little nook and cranny of your everyday life, taunting, staring at you from around every fucking corner. I remember...every last one of them. I remember every face, every death, every victim I've ever killed. But most of them, I don't even know their names. It doesn't end with a gunshot, Fox."

Peppy's voice called from out of Fox's armband. "Fox? Fox! What's going on down there?" The voice insisted as Lance's own words creeped into everyone's ears and infested their minds.

"But then I see...I see the lives of those who have been murdered...senselessly killed for no reason...for no reason at all. Innocence, life and love snuffed out like nothing. I see all the lives I've saved...the people who've been given the chance to live...unlike the numerous souls I've been helpless to save in previous days. That's why they call me the BlackHearted hero. Call me savage...call me a murderer...but it sickens me that you have any compassion for guys like Scales. As long as they live, innocents will continue to suffer. That's something I won't stand for."

"Fox? Answer me!" Peppy insisted.

"The price of life is cheap in this system...isn't it?"

The silence was deafening. The entire speech showed just how different these two worlds were. Humans were still in the relatively early days of warfare...when battles hardened soldiers into emotionless machines, when gangs and murderers still roamed the streets, killing for sport.  
The human air force on the other hand, never had to feel the death of their enemies like the Marines or the Armies had to. It was alot easier to shoot a missile from 500 yards away...to never see that scorched face, to never hear that scream that burns through one's very soul.

Such was the case of the Lylat system. They, on the other hand, had evolved beyond ground warfare. In order to help warriors become efficient, and still maintain peace on the homefront, they took the war to the skies where no one had to witness bloodshed and hatred. And when they did, death was a war crime; killing was an atrocity, a beautifully twisted paradox of warfare.

Lance's arrival to the system was either a blessing, a wake up call...or it was a curse, a sickness that would infest the entire world.  
He was the Shadow of Lylat.


	12. Chapter 12: Crystal Tears

Chapter 12: Crystal Tears

A storm was rolling in, everyone could sense it. Yes, there was a very tense air after the long list of accusations set forth by the Urban Soldier, but there was something else…it was hard to pin it down, but something else didn't seem quite right. Not long after the lengthy speech, all but Fox and Krystal had withdrawn to the ship. These members would contact the military and brief them on all the events, while Fox and Krystal, alone on the surface, would tie up loose ends with the remaining EarthWalkers scattered about the Palace. They remained there for a long time, finishing off minor negotiations with said tribe. (though the members on the ship suspected other things)

After about an hour, the two vulpines were back on the Great Fox and ready to go.  
Everyone was already on about their own business: Peppy and Fox were left to file the reports, small talking and reminiscing over the good old days. Falco went off to sulk, while Krystal went off to contemplate. Slippy resumed his busy work in a workshop on the far side of the ship, tinkering with his tools and new invention: Some sort of new firearm for the team to use on their Arwings for a future sortie. The sound of clanking metal and cranking joints stopped abruptly, however, and the mechanic suddenly found the design distasteful. With a sour look on his face, he clumsily pushed the device off the table. His nimble hands hung at his side, still gripping a wrench. Morbid imagination gripped him, as he suddenly realized what the weapon would be used for. The thought began to sink in again as those blank eyes stared at the wall just inches away. Although he had never seen it firsthand, the very thought that he had contributed to and even caused the death of potentially hundreds of enemies…it was frightening. All of a sudden, he felt the intense gaze of a thousand angry eyes staring at him from all directions. Even so, the lifeless room produced no response when he whirled around to inspect it.

"I haven't done anything…" He moaned miserably. "I'm a good guy…a good guy…" His pudgy hand grabbed a blanket off of the nearby bed and wrapped it snugly around his shoulders as he stood up to stare out the side of the ship through the starboard window.

"That's right, I've always been too weak to fight." He nodded reassuringly. "It was always Fox…always Fox who had to look out for me."

Those curious, gleaming blue eyes glazed over as they scanned the heavens in wonder. It had been years since he stargazed like this…  
"I've gotten so used to seeing it, I almost take it for granted. The cosmos…so big and so cold…it's such a lonely thought that something so big could exist. I feel so small and helpless whenever I think about it." A hand raised, about to press against the glass. Instead, he let himself fall roughly backwards into a sitting position, still watching the star ocean. It took him back to the past…back to better days.

Back then, before Fox took control of Star Fox…back when there were no worries…he realized that things could never go back to the way they were.  
Because of his portly stature and irritating voice, Slippy had a knack for making enemies in bullies and mean spirited children. He was a timid, mild mannered fellow, and seldom struck back. And when he did, it resulted in failure and humiliation. On one particular occasion, Slippy recalled a dingo who preferred beating up on him more than anyone else in their class. Every day he dreaded coming to school, and every time he walked through those doors and saw those terrible brown eyes glaring at him, he just felt like dying right then and there. It was completley unpredictable, and without any pattern that the dingo would sink his teeth into the poor frog, and that tormented him even more. One day, he had finally snapped in retaliation: paralyzed with fear, he madly swung a helpless fist, but that didn't help any; all it accomplished was angering the aggressor, and he ended up on the ground with a malevolent foot smacking against his face and chest again and again. All he remembered was the fear and sadness, when suddenly he heard a scream and felt a thud next to him. The dingo lay next to him, gasping for air, while above him stood another canine figure. More accurately, a fox…Fox McCloud. They became inseperable thereafter.

From then on, Fox would always be there to protect his amphibious friend. Whenever someone dared lay a finger on him, Fox would be there to chase them off. Eventually, his other two friends, Bill Grey and Wolf O'Donell had come to accept Slippy as well, and the four of them felt that this joy was all there was to life.  
When they were still just kids, Wolf hadn't turned into the villain he was today. He was one of them, just another kid with dreams and ambitions just like the others. But he always hid something from the others…his happiness was a facade which concealed something much deeper.  
While Slippy had always strived to become a great engineer and physicist like his father before him, Beltino Toad, the muzzled three aspired to become soldiers. For Bill, that was all there was to it. His entire family had been war heroes, and he claimed…regardless of the others' constant cynicism…that he was in some way related to the late General Pepper. Interestingly enough, his relation was different every time he told the story.

Fox and Wolf, however, had much more spectacular goals in mind. Fox's father, James McCloud, was regarded as one of the Air Force's most decorated fighter pilots on record, and after he retired, became the Lylat System's most successful mercenary of all time. For the sake of family legacy, Fox always told the others that he would carry on that title in the name of all McClouds. Secretly, Wolf always envied Fox in many ways…none of which he ever expressed.

All of this served to further alienate Slippy from his only group of friends. Not only were they all strong and confident, aspiring to be warriors of some sort; they were also a completely different species. Slippy was a stout amphibian, but the others were all well-built, doggish creatures. They were all one jolly pack, and he always felt inside like he was the straggler…just a follower of sorts.

"But it all got better. My life…it was great. Thanks to Fox." Those memories warmed him up inside. A deep loneliness ebbed away at him for his entire life, and he never quite understood why. Thinking of these memories always prodded at him, taunting his helplessness. His inferiority complex remained unequaled, enviously watching from afar as the others enjoyed all of their glory and fame.

He found himself choking back some sudden tears, blurring the view of endless time and space in front of him. The mass of flesh crawled into bed, sobbing without a clue as to why.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Damnit, Roy…you never even taught me how to use this thing." The baroque wand…a smooth, black, wooden conductor's baton. A stray carving of wood rolled over the handle, with three small golden strings stretched out in between, symbolizing a harp of sorts. A golden, ornate pattern was etched into the length of the stick, nearly 8 total inches in length.  
"Then again, I should already know. I've seen you do it a million times before."

That furless hand rose gently in the air, baton in hand. He slowly conducted in 4/4 time for several cycles, but nothing happened.

The Baroque wand was a tool from the same ancient civilization which had created the Guardian. It was able to create and manipulate sound waves, and Lance's old friend…who had given it to him as a parting gift…always used it to conduct beautiful symphonies and timeless music. He eventually became so proficient that he discovered various ways to use the sound waves in battle.

Having fought by his side, Lance should have figured out by now how to use it. Perhaps there was something his perception couldn't pick up…after all, 'Roy' had never explained it to him.

_Whatever…I don't need any music anyway. Not like I could write anything…_ No matter how capable a learner he was, the learning system known as Murder-by-numbers was not designed to affect his aristic creativity. All he was trying to do was recall and replicate some of the music his comrade had written. For now, he wanted to get his mind off of the whole set of new problems this world presented to him.

_Screw it…I'll figure it out later._ He stared down at the wand, mesmerized by it's beautiful design.  
_I was a real asshole earlier…_ the hand fell to his side, and he turned to gaze out the window. He had never really been up in space before…it was a really weird feeling.

_I know I'm right, but should I have even bothered to tell them?_ He walked over to the window. Almost the entire wall was transparent, and he stared past his own reflection into the eternal abyss. _They're just like the naïve little children I would strive so hard to protect…they don't know anything, but they've worked so hard to save this system. Then again, they're also like the scum I've been killing off over the years; they blissfully take the lives of all those folks whose faces they'll never even have to see. But they didn't know it until now…Jesus Christ, what do I do?_

He walked over to the desk at the far end of the room, and stuffed the Baroque Wand into the pack he had brought with him from Earth.  
_I'll apologize tomorrow…if I get the chance._ He threw himself onto the bed, staring at the ceiling for an eternity before rolling over and letting the night claim his mind.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Mama!" the pitter patter of quick, tiny footsteps echoed off a cobblestone ground and throughout a deserted courtyard. "Mama! Wait for me!" the cheerful voice of an innocent child eventually reached the keen ears of a tall figure about 10 yards ahead, who abruptly turned around to face the source of the hollering.

The sky here was a deep cobalt, and as it descended to the horizon, it fell into a deep violet, and into a soft indigo. Although it was daytime, the moon occupied the sky, so close to the planet that it was near possible to reach up and pluck it right out of the heavens. It sparkled, and the entire lower half was faded away, invisible in it's current position. Barely visible, there sat another smaller moon, behind it and slightly off to the side. The stone streets and structures of the yard were illuminated by the moon in a soft, lavender hue. In the center of the brick roads there sat a large, square pond, perhaps two feet in depth. It shimmered and squirmed, reflecting shards of light from the lunar guardian above.

To each of the sides of the long courtyard, there stood a wall of shrubbery, and about a foot above it ran a brick extension along the entire perimeter. Far ahead, after passing about three of the ponds, a large castle or mansion of sorts sat humbly, eminating the kind wisdom of a thousand saints.  
The term here would be "cool colors." It seemed as if just about everything were blue and purple. It was a beautiful sight.

"Why young one…where is your father?" the figure turned around. It was a tall, vulpine creature, covered entirely in cerulean blue fur. There were a few spots which were decorated in either white paint or tatoos, in a sort of obscure, tribal design. In terms of clothing, she was garbed in scant, off-white robes.

"Mama! Daddy says that Master _Aga…Agaji…Agu…_" the excited child fumbled with her words, trying to formulate someone's name. The older vixen giggled and corrected her.

"It's Agatio, Krystal. Master Agatio." She leaned down and picked up the child with a grunt. She couldn't have been more than four years old at the time…it was so cute to see her come running around that corner with that playful look in those emerald eyes.

"Now them. What did Daddy say about Agatio?" She prodded the kit's nose with her pointer finger, and the child responded with a laugh and nibbled at the finger before answering.

"Daddy said that Master _Agudio_ wanted a special job from him."

"A special job?" She exaggerated her own amazement, mouthing the word 'wow.' The child just nodded, smiling and biting her own finger. "What kind of job was it?"

"A special job." She repeated simple mindedly.

"Well then, we'd better go ask why he wants me to know, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah!" The kit held out a failed attempt at a thumbs up, and again the older vixen laughed sweetly.

The two of them walked out of the courtyard and down a slanted, downhill road. As they approached the end of the road, two statues adorned either side at the end; they were an owl and a lion, without any human qualities; they were in their purest form, seated down with tails and ears raised in a dignified manner, muzzles pointing straight ahead.  
As they passed into the next street, they walked along until the shrubbery was replaced by more stone structures, more complex than they had been in the garden. Statues became more common, and trees spouted in intervals out of gaps in the cobblestone sidewalks. They continued onwards, until they reached a four way intersection in the town square. Four streams of water poured out of the mouths of a stout Racoon, a robust Bear, a noble Lion, and a lithe Cat. Each was facing a different direction.

"Mommy, he's in that one: right there." The child pointed a short finger into one building, in between the bear and the lion, in the northeast direction.

"That one right there?" the mother tickled the child's furry tummy, extracting a giggle from the victim.

"Yeah!" the child responded, punching a triumphant fist into the air.

The two of them passed through a round doorway and into a small library, double glass doors extending inwards to let them through. The floor was wooden, and a nearby staircase led into a loft up above them. The mother set her child down to scamper up the stairs. She tripped a few times, but stood up, determined to conquer the steps. "Haha!" she announced at the top of the flight, arms held high.

"It looks like your determination won your battle, didn't it?" A lean, masculine figure walked up behind her. Strong arms whisked her off her feet as she found herself inches away from the ceiling, peering down at an affectionate, paternal mug.  
"Yeah! No one can beat me if I stay strong! Just like you said!" The little girl curled her arms, imitating a strong man, causing the man to chuckle.

Several other figures positioned in a circle turned to pleasantly watch the interactions. They needed something to take their minds off the matter at hand…anything heartwarming. There were 6 others, in addition to the father; two racoons; Mistress Azure and Master Rubio…a bear; Master Onyx…two cats; Mistress Lapis and Master Lazu…and a Lion; Master Agatio. Just like the rest of their kind, their fur was always various shades of blue. The Lion stood as the most prominent figure of the lot of them. Standing at around six feet high and of comparable physique, he kept his proud mane cut short, and a brilliant, aqua-colored gem was implanted on the center of his forehead. The others could sense his amusement, but his face revealed no such emotion. He merely exhaled in acknowledgement and glided over to the two of them. Under his robes, his legs and feet were concealed; combined with his quiet prowl, it almost seemed as though he was levitating. As he drew closer, a great 'presence' seemed to fill the room, touching everyone with his inherent power. Even those without similar abilities could sense this aura of sheer, unmatched power.

It was a fitting appearance for the acclaimed leader of the Cerinian Seers.

"Lady Garnet." Agatio growled in a friendly tone to the mother, "What a pleasant surprise. Have you come to keep an eye on your husband?" Those fierce, golden eyes skipped over to the father, raising an eyebrow. "Jasper? You haven't been philandering?" Chuckles erupted from the group, and the little girl giggled without fully knowing what they meant.

"Heh…don't even joke like that." Jasper scratched the back of his head anxiously. "You know I'd never betray one of my own." He snatched up the vixen, locking her in his arms. Garnet spun about him, whining playfully, until they met with a brief kiss.

The little girl, not wanting to be left out, tackled them with her fragile body, burying her tiny muzzle inbetween them.

"Oof!" Jasper grunted, and warmly laughed again. They were a tiny, but happy pack, seeking only the warmth of one another's arms. Inseperable, few people were blessed with the love and affection they shared; the vulpine family had lived together briefly, but those days were always and always would be the greatest days of their lives.

Or perhaps that was because those days were among their last…

The thought suddenly plagued the young child, and a tear suddenly fell from her laughing face. It surprised her, and she lifted a hand to wipe away the salty discharge. Strange…she didn't feel sad.  
But the feeling suddenly began welling up inside of her, and she began to cry more and more, blinded by the tears. The room started spinning, and fluctuating in size, enlarging and shrinking down in chaotic unison. The figures around her continued to laugh and smile, but no sound escaped their mouths, and they began drawing further and further away as the room stretched away from her. On her knees, she tried to open her eyes, only to find that she was alone. She stood up abrupty, and ran forward, pounding the walls in futile desperation, but even the room dissipated, and her profuse tears grew larger in quantity and even flooded the vast abyss in which she stood alone. She fell to the ground, fitfully sobbing, helpless and despaired.

"You poor little child…" her ear twitched, and she whirled around on the ground. Above her stood the famed Master Agatio, looking down at her with pity and compassion. Ripples spread out through the expanse of water as he stepped towards her. Something inside the child urged her to avoid him, as she scrambled backwards in panic.

"What ails you, child? Is it the terrible loss of your people?" Even though the lion spoke in curious sympathy, there was a dark and callous tone underneath the facade; his care was a ruse.  
"Or could it be something more selfish? Perhaps…your own parents?"

"No…they aren't gone! They can't be!" She wiped her tears away, dampening her furry arms. "I'll go home tonight and they'll be waiting for me as always!"

"So it _is_ true…" Agatio hissed as he narrowed his eyes, "you forget: The needs of many outweigh the needs of few. If it weren't for your foolish parents…the Cerinian race would still live on. Yet you still mourn for their futility when you should mourn for the rest."

She sobbed, burying her face in her hands. She had no response for him, and she looked down at her reflection. She saw two others beside her; two blue foxes like herself. But they were adult…at least, they looked it, until their fur and flesh melted away, and their bones turned to dust and dispersed in the wind. Green eyes quivered as the tears continued rolling down, further flooding the emptiness around her.

"You could never return to us. Even if there were a home to which you return, we would not accept you...we _could_ not accept you." Agatio stepped forward, ripples expanding outwards from the padded feet under his robes. "How can you live with yourself? How _dare_ you continue to live after idly watching the rest of us fade from existence…suffering a fate far worse than death?"

"I couldn't help it…I couldn't…" the words were barely audible, as the pup fought against her choking and howling.

"Do you want to return to us? Do you desire the warmth and care of your people?"

"Yes!" she cried without hesitation. Nearly delirious, she peered upwards, eyes wide, only half-sane. "Yes! I don't want to be alone anymore! Please…forgive me! Forgive me, Master!"

"You swear allegiance? You wish to redeem yourself and restore your line's good name?"

"I'll do anything!" The kit stood up and grasped his robes, as if she had no other way to convince him besides shaking him silly.

"Then prove it." All at once, the expanse of water sizzled into steam, obscuring the cerulean fox's vision as the great Seer faded through her grip.

All of a sudden, the little girl awoke in the darkness, surrounded by some kind of soft material. She bolted upright, taking it in for a few moments before realizing that she had just been dreaming; she became acutely aware that she wasn't a little girl…she was a young woman with a new life and a new home among the stars.

Krystal looked down at herself, soaked in her own sweat, and tears, or perhaps both. She had seen that dream before: her home, her parents, the oligarchy of the seers, the haunting beauty of the moonlit skies. Despair consumed her as she fought back yet another wave of tears. But that conversation with Agatio…that was new. Never before had she dreamed that one up.

_No…stop it. You have to move beyond all of that. There's nothing…nothing you can do now._

_But you just swore that you would do whatever it takes._ A voice spoke in her head. Krystal whirled around, frightened…was she going mad?  
She caressed the side of her head and ran her palm across her face. The massage stopped abruptly…something was out of place. On instinct alone, she pulled off the circlet around her head and dangled it several inches in front of her face.

"This…! It can't be…could it?" She stared blankly for about a minute before a single thought reentered her mind. Something inside the lonely vixen ignited, and she was soon swelling with hope and happiness.

No longer would she have to cry herself to sleep all the time.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

It was a lazy morning, much like any other. But that normality wouldn't last for long…as the team would inevitably be hurled into another one of their grand adventures. It was both strange and welcome…all the missions and crusades the team had recently gone through. Fox had gone through all the records he had written as of late, and found it incredibly odd that so much would occur in such a small time frame. Then again…the most recent events were all connected in one way or another.

Things were about to get even weirder…and none of them would suspect that everything was connected, no matter how irrelevant any of these events seemed.

"Kibble again?" Lance remarked, scratching the side of his head. "All these food supplements…you guys never have any real food?"

"The Lylat system isn't very rich in agriculture." Falco responded begrudgingly. Clearly he didn't want to talk with this outsider, but at the moment he didn't seem to care about anything anymore.  
"It's disproportional to the population, so we can't afford such luxuries. Artificial nutrition is all space-farers can afford."

"Ah." He had an inquisitive mind, and the power of knowledge was an essential tool for survival. Silence drew out for a long while, and only the sound of munching filled the room. So far, everyone but Krystal had come to the table.

_It's gonna be hard to adapt to this one…I'm damn lucky the General arranged for my stay. Otherwise…  
_He shuddered. The general had negotiated for Lance's stay with the Star Fox team. He felt that, since they had already sworn in one alien, they were the most qualified to handle another. Although the whole situation sounded to Lance like a load of BS.

"Everyone!" The double doors slid open, as the team's lone female member burst through with a dazzling smile in those pointed teeth.  
"You'll never believe what happened last night!"

"Whoa!" Slippy bolted upright and avoided falling over the side of the chair. "Ow…what's all the yelling about?" He whined, rubbing his head. "I thought we were under attack…"

Krystal pulled something out of a pocket on her outer jacket. It closely resembled a circlet much like her own. While hers was adorned with a red, triangular gem, this one held a teal green one, and was much smoother.  
"This…I didn't have it before." She scurried over to Fox and held it directly over the tip of his muzzle. "I had a dream…and when I woke up, I was wearing this!"

No one responded. Confounded, everyone exchanged awkward glances, waiting for someone to break the silence. ROB was the first to do so. "Would you like some flavoring on your 'kibble,' Falco?" Lance snorted, holding back a laugh.

"So…" Fox readily wrapped his fingers around the circlet, taking it from . "You're saying…you just found it, then?"

"Found it? Oh no…" Krystal shook her head vigorously. "It found me."

"It…found _you?_" Lance's arms were crossed, but one arm strayed loose to point at her. "Exactly how would an inanimate object do something like that? Last time I checked…"

"It's of Cerinian design." She interrupted fiercely, and turned back to Fox smiling again. "Every few generations, a seer with incredible power will rise…it is said that they will become so powerful, that even space itself will bend to his will!"

Falco rolled his eyes, arms still folded. Slippy gawked in goofy amazement, and then receded into a practical mindset, crossing his arms like the bird and the human beside him. Peppy, more reserved and self-controlled than his cohorts, reached up to pull on his ear in thought.  
"Hm…well from what we've seen lately…doesn't seem like anything's impossible anymore."

"I can't believe you all!" said Krystal, in a half-teasing manner. "This is huge! Aren't you at least a little bit excited for me?"

"Well, maybe if we knew what all this meant, we'd be a bit more enthused." Fox shrugged, raising his eyebrows.

Krystal sighed, like a mother tutoring her child. "You see…before Cerinia blew up…" Peppy raised his eyebrows and met an inquisitive gaze with Falco. It was unlike her to speak so lightly on the subject. "…there lived one such Seer. We all knew him as Agatio."

"Agatio. Agate…are all Cerinians named in the likeliness of some kind of gem?" Slippy joked.

"He was so powerful that he could disappear one moment, and reappear the next…on the other side of the world if he so pleased. He could see into people's minds…revive the dead…he could do all kinds of things that even we thought to be impossible. When the planet was destroyed…his fading face was one of the last things I remember. But now…"

"The way you talk…you don't think he's still around, do you?" Lance inquired. Everyone else beside Krystal shot a hateful glance at him.

"Don't taunt her, Lance! Just because you don't care about the death of your own planet doesn't mean…" Peppy swung his hand to his side in fury, and Lance seemed to get a whole lot bigger and meaner when he said that about him.

"No, he's right." Krystal was actually the one to interrupt the rabbit.

"Wha…he is?" Falco uncrossed his arms, glancing at Lance and then back to Krystal. "Would someone care to explain?"

"This circlet…I didn't own it. Not ever. And as Fox suggested, I didn't 'find' it, because I never lost it. This circlet…that color, the shape, the glow…the power that eminates from it…it's granted only to the leader of the Cerinian Seers."

"And that's what this Agatio guy was?" Fox asked. "Your leader?"

"At the time he was one of my teachers, since I was far too young and inexperienced to be sworn in as a full-fledged Seer."

"And you think that he sent this to you?" He continued, handing it back to her. "If he can bend the fabric of space, as you say, that he was able to teleport this thing into your pocket…"

"There must be some Cerinians still out there!" She snatched the circlet from him, gazing down at it, taking it all in…remembering…  
"Fox!" She said abruptly. "We have to go find them! We're so close…so close that I can feel it!"

"You really think so?"

"For years now…I've wandered alone in search of answers…and now…I'll finally know!"

_Wait…if she wanted answers…what made her stay with this Team here? Did she think they could provide answers for her?_ Lance thought to himself. He decided against saying anything else; the only two people who had felt any _remote_ connection with him were now pretty pissed off at him. He would apologize later…  
_Wait a minute…did she say…"the power that eminates from it"? That must mean that circlet of hers is more than just jewelry._ His eyes narrowed. _And the placement…it's right over her third eye. Hm…this must have something to do with her 'talents'…  
Oh shut up. Someone needs your help. You're the Blackhearted Hero…now get out there and do what you do best._  
He unfolded his arms and nodded.  
"So…if you don't mind my asking, how would you find the survivors?"

"Well…this should be imprinted with a part of his…um…his existence."

"His existence?" Slippy perked up.

"It's hard to explain. But anyone who has touched an object leaves a sort of…hm…I guess you would call it a fingerprint…but it's not."

_A datashade…so she's gonna douse for the survivors._ thought Lance.

Fox swallowed. He suddenly became aware of the harsh, tightening sensation in his throat. It was as if every time those deep, green eyes met his own, he felt as if she could see through him and all his darkest secrets…as if there was nothing he could hide. That was the only way to describe his sense of unworth.  
"I'm not sure what you mean…" he scratched his head. "But I guess it's not important. As long as we find your people, right?"

"Fox…" Krystal pulled back for a moment, then stepped forward, extending a hand outwards towards him "you mean…?"

He nodded to her, grinning sheepishly. "That's right. We agreed when you joined us that we would do everything in our power to help."  
_Look at her standing there…poor thing shouldn't have had to deal with everything she's had to carry on her shoulders all these years._ His tail flicked back and forth. All of a sudden, he felt the weight of her loneliness, and had a terrible urge to take her up in his arms and never let go…feel her heartbeat with his own and blow all that sadness away. So many thoughts were running through his mind that he couldn't make sense of it all, and perhaps he didn't even try…but it had begun to twist him up inside, and after his sense of longing subsided, it was replaced by a mysterious guilt and self-loathing.

All he could do was stare at her. Krystal finally snapped him out of his pensieve. "Fox," she giggled. "Thank you."  
She could find no other words…because she could sense everything that he was feeling. It was a byproduct of her ESP…and just as Fox had thought to himself, she could see right through him. A part of her in the back of her mind was ashamed…but she was consciously flattered by, and open to his feelings.  
It would be nice to have a shoulder to cry on after all these years of wandering alone through the universe…that despair, the sorrow, the regret, the dread…new words would have to be invented to describe her feelings. It was nothing short of a miracle that she ended up the way she did.

Lance looked over his shoulder to Peppy. The old hare, rather than being repulsed by that hateful, bald, sickly face, was surprised. Previously, he had always viewed his expressions as some kind of threat or full of murderous intent. Now, though, he was genuinely moved by the heartwarming scene in front of them; the message was "Aw, now ain't that sweet?" It was a smile Peppy had previously thought impossible for such a cold-hearted soldier. He turned back around to face the foxes in front of him.

"Well now." He said warmly. "Will we be off?"


	13. Chapter 13: Seven Prohibitions

Chapter 13: Seven Prohibitions

"Fox…can I speak with you for a moment?" Krystal's warm voice whispered in Fox's ear. Everyone was seated at the bridge, already on their way to Corneria for one last stop before their search. Fox turned his head slightly to hear her out.

"Uh, sure. What about?"

She wagged her finger, motioning for him to follow. As they walked away, a pair of intense, burning green eyes followed them until they left the room.  
On the other side of the double doors, Krystal turned to Fox, a serious expression on her face.

"Hey, if we're going to go find my people…" She leaned inward, talking low. Fox also leaned forward to hear her more clearly. "…I don't think I want _him_ around."

"You don't want 'him' who?" Fox lowered his eyebrows, not so much as to frown, but to express his curiosity.

"Who else?" Krystal frowned, tail flicking.

"Oh…you're afraid that he's…?"

"First off, I don't think it's even safe for him to be in the same room as normal people. If he goes nuts and starts shooting or slashing or beating people again…"

"But you heard what he said yesterday?" Fox recalled the long speech on the Krazoa palace. They all loathed the human now, but on the inside they all felt he was right. "His motives…"

"I don't care what his motives are. I don't want him anywhere near my family!" She raised her voice frantically, trying to either reject or push something out of her mind.  
"I just…I…" she had so much to say, but could find no words for any of it.

"You don't have to say anything." He flustered, placing his hands on her shoulders impulsively. The two of them just stared at eachother for a few moments before Krystal pulled away. Before she placed her hand on the console, Fox spoke again.  
"I'll talk with the others about it. We'll figure something out."

She looked over her shoulder, avoiding eye contact. Her mouth opened up, but no words came out and she just walked away silently.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So what do you guys think of all this?"

"I can just see him ending up like Pigma…betraying everyone else for his own gain, whatever that may be." muttered Peppy, darkly.

"Really dangerous, really homicidal…he's almost as bad as Leon…almost. If he flat out loved his 'duty' he'd be the same person." Falco seated himself on a nearby shelf, popping his neck.

"And you heard what the General said: Andross only had two of the four learning aids that Lance has. I'm almost afraid to even know someone with that kind of potential." Slippy said, fidgeting with his hands.

"So far, we've compared him to Pigma Dengar…Leon Powalski…and Andross himself." Fox laughed nervously, an eyebrow raised in anxiety. "That's…not a good sign."

"And going back to what you said earlier, I guess we can't leave him with Lucy, can we?" Krystal mused, turning to Peppy.

"Well, who else do we have to pawn him off on?" yawned Falco.

"Just find someone! I refuse to put my own daughter anywhere near him!" Peppy clenched his fists, and Fox had to put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Relax, Peppy, I wouldn't do that either. Remember what we said about this guy and Andross?"

"You mean the learning capacity?" Slippy shrugged, concealing his envy. "He already knows the advanced science the Lylat system has to offer, thanks to the integration program the government put him through…the same one Krystal took."

"Well, according to him, the extent of the Cornerian and Human knowledge is nearly the same; we just have the technology to act on it…and they don't." Fox crossed his arms, tapping his arm with two fingers. "But I'm straying off subject…they only taught him the basics, the kind of stuff he could have easily researched back home. With Lucy's quantum and astrophysical knowledge, well…that's the pinnacle of Cornerian science. If he learns that stuff…"

"I've got a solution." Falco up until this point, had been restraining the urge to slap them all aside the head. Something about their paranoia just bugged him. "I've got an old friend who owes me a favor, and he's one of _those_ people who add all the hype to the whole alien image. I'm sure he'd love to keep an eye on our furless bastard here."

Everyone just kind of stared at him. "What?" he insisted.

"It's just that…" Slippy prodded him, "I didn't know you had any other friends besides the team. That even if you had old friends…that you wouldn't keep in touch with them."

"He's not even a friend. He just owes me a favor." Falco crossed his arms and leaned up against the wall. "Ursa Grylls, back from around the time I was still a part of Corneria's Special Forces."

"At any rate, an ex-soldier is a better candidate to babysit this guy than a college professor is." Slippy shrugged.

"Then it's settled." Fox confirmed. "Falco, call this friend of yours so we can drop off _ol' baldie_ as soon as we land." He then turned to address everyone else. "Everyone, this'll be the first time in a while that we've seen home, to get ready to land and do whatever it is you need to do."

"Fox, the way you talk it almost seems like we're going out to war again." Peppy teased. The joke didn't go over too well.

"Well…I get the feeling we won't be seeing home for a while afterwards, either."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"If I may…" A voice spoke from the shadows, "Is all this really necessary? This entire setup seems more complicated than it need be." The voice was male, slightly nasal and lightly high pitched, lax and almost laid back. The face of the speaker was obscured in darkness, outlined in a soft blue. He stood in a circle with six others, each conjoined upon an edge of a seven-pointed star etched into the cold, stone ground. A point of faint, pale blue light emitted from the center of what appeared to be his forehead.

"Once again, Rubio, you fail to open your mind." A much lower, more fiersome voice rumbled through the dark. "Are you so small minded that you dismiss the very possibility of something you can't even comprehend?" A faint, vermillion glimmer emitted from this hulking figure.

"Calm yourself, Master Onyx." This time feminine, a sweet, alluring voice rang out from a much smaller, lithe body. "If you don't watch that attitude of yours, we'll have to punish you as always, won't we?"

"You can't blame him, Lapis." Spoke the figure next to her. This one was masculine, but the figure was short and stout. From his figure and that of the female next to him emitted an orange and dark blue light respectively. "His power is just too much for him to handle…it's long been eating at his sanity. Hasn't it, Onyx? Hohoh…"

"A gluttonous fool you are, Lazu." Growled the hulking figure. "Perhaps all the food has been choking off the blood from your mind."

"I could do the same to you if you so please." The feminine voice purred.

"That's enough, all of you." Another womanly tone rang out, this one stern and disciplined, yet taunting and malicious. "I know that eight years is a long time…but we will soon find a new home. Those rich fools in the adjacent system will see to that." She spoke that last sentence with an undeserved sense of entitlement, and a green jewel glistened on her forehead.

"Don't underestimate them, Lady Azure." A cool, emotionless voice quelled the argument almost as quickly as it had begun. Softer than the rest, there was both a tenacious and arrogant air underlying it. "They may be far weaker than we are…but they are more resourceful and they still have everything we need." A regal, violet light shone from his forehead. It was lighter than the rest, but still just dim enough to conceal his face among the shadows.  
"And don't set a bad example for our newest member. You all have already fallen to five of the prohibitions; let us hope that our number seven doesn't follow that same path, lest we rename ourselves."

The gruff, basso voice chuckled. He was the only one who caught the joke. "Speaking of sins, is our vulpine friend going to reveal himself?"

"Ah, yes. Topius has recently proven himself quite useful in our current situation…he shall fit the final spot in our Project."

The rotund, feline figure whistled impressively. "Topius, is it? Welcome back to the _Serenity._" 'Serenity' was the name of the ship.

A faint, amber glow pierced the darkness. It also shone eerily off of his maniacal, grinning, jagged teeth. "It's a pleasure, I'm sure, to once again stand among such great Seers as yourselves…given I'm just a normie, I'm grateful that you all chose me as your seventh."

The alleged leader of the bunch turned his head and crossed his arms. "All that matters is that you repay us for your second chance at life."

"Besides, it's not like we had much to chose from…" muttered the lazy voice grimly.

"I appreciate the compliment." The maniacal newbie ignored the last comment and nodded to the leader, his grin disappearing. "But I believe we should get down to business now, correct? If we are to restore our former glory…"

"At this point, there is little else we can do but wait." The purple glow extended over to the man's eyes, forming a mesmerizing triangular pattern of indigo light. "I have recently dispatched a Cell to our _asset_."

Two of the shady figures snorted with some sort of irritation. The alluring, feminine voice spoke callously. "_That_ one shouldn't even still be alive. Why are we allowing her to live?"

"Narrow minded…" the hulk muttered obscenities under his breath, until the arrogant one silenced him with the raise of his hand.

"Hold your tongue, Onyx." The leader then turned to the other aggressor.  
"She is no traitor, Lapis. No one should inherit the shame and dishonor their parents committed." His proud voice softened with pity and sympathy, as did his closest comrade. "Besides...with our precious Blood Ruby stolen by that apish overlord, we have little other choice."

"Never were one for tradition, were you?" Onyx then turned to address the rest. "We have guided her and kept her alive for very specific reasons. It is not your place to question our decisions."

"In her mind she has locked away all of those memories in the dark pits of her subconscious." The leader continued. "As long as she stays in the dark, she will have reason to follow us. It was pure luck that her ignorance and naivety have delivered us all to this old world at last. What a pitiful little child…it hurts me to do this to her."

"Does she have to…you know?" he who had previously felt anger now felt fear and anxiety. There was still a soft spot in his heart…one odd trait common to all seers was that they all held on to some fragments of their youth no matter how old and wise they grew.  
"I mean…it would be such a pity."

"That is hard for me to say…but yes. We don't have the luxury of recreating the old arts; we must act quickly." He walked to the center of the circle, from which the inner heptagon glowed and extended to all seven points of the star, revealing them all as the six seers plus their newest member.

Lady Lapis and Master Lazu, a feline whose power few truly knew of, and her energy-manipulating tomcat comrade. Lapis held a light blue gem on her forehead; Lazu, an orange one.  
Master Rubio and Mistress Azure, two racoons; Rubio was an Esper, Azure, a Telepath.  
The newest member, the fox known as Topius, whose life-altering skills were envied by many in his day.  
Master Rubio, the hulking, Matter-manipulating Bear, possessing a blood red jewel quite literally embedded onto his forehead.  
Lastly…the leader of them all, and most renowned of all, the famed Lion known as Agatio.

"Friends…our time has come at last. Let us act on these next steps as we all agreed."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Things were progressing much more quickly than expected for everyone. Team Star Fox had been wired another payment for their deeds on Sauria and given some down time on their homeworld. They landed down on the surface at an airport of sorts, greeted by the glorious light of day once more. It was nice to see the sun again, considering that most of them had been flying through the night sky for the past week or so. Up there in space, oneself was the only company anyone had; looking out into the cosmos was a killer, and knowing how small one was could eat a person away inside. It was common, but not everyone felt this way. Slippy and Krystal were so far the only ones on the team who feared space to a certain degree.

The Great Fox had docked into a crevice carved into the side of a cliff, extending a sort of escalator onto the surface. Everyone marched down the walkway single file, stepping out onto Cornerian soil. Lance wondered at how similar it was to Earth; it only served to remind him how similar they were on the inside. The two races had many clear differences, but at their very core they were the same…he knew that very well, but for the sake of pride and deception would not tell them outright.

Blue skies and green grasses also held particular interest for another of the team's aliens. Krystal had become accustomed to flying in space all alone, but landing down on a lush and thriving planet gave her great satisfaction. Although the environment was quite apart from that of Cerinia, what mattered most to her was the fact that she was surrounded by life, surrounded by other people who thought and felt and breathed like she did. It almost reminded her of days past when she felt safe and secure among her own people…still, though, she would never feel the same kinship.

Both of the outsiders felt an unexplainable alienation. The reason was obvious, but there was something deeper than just that. The two of them felt that the very planet itself was a separate entity. Gaia theory: All organisms on any given planet are like the many cells of any individual organism, likewise, they all make up the entire planet as one entity. The two of them were from totally different 'bodies,' and that very thought was haunting to them.

_They all look just like me…just like Cerinians. There are tons of them, tons of variety, tons of colors, feelings, thoughts…it's beautiful, it's nostalgic. But…could I ever be a part of it?_  
She stepped back, cradling one arm with the other. This had become a nervous habit, which she acted on every time she came to the surface of any planet. Her ears lowered, and every bone in her body seemed to droop down.

Lance crossed his arms and looked away. Though he was trying to play it off as if he didn't care, he too 'withdrew' from the planet. He felt the same way, fully aware, but tried (and failed) to shrug it off.  
Since he was even further apart from the planet than Krystal was, he just felt like stealing some random spaceship and flying headfirst into the nearest star just to escape the "shame."  
But why was it shameful? _I'm suddenly aware of how small, mortal and unwise I am. Why is that?_ He ran his fingers over his forehead, touching the permanent cut in his forehead just above his left eye.

Krystal wondered to herself, trying to read all the others. She was trying to figure them all out, and suddenly found herself 'aware.' There was no other way to describe it, but she suddenly felt like she 'existed,' a small shard of reality among a vast ocean of delusion. Her forehead began burning right under her tiara, and the world suddenly seemed to distort and twist to bits inside her mind so that nothing made sense anymore.  
Granted, she could see it the same way in a physical sense, but there was something else in her mind she couldn't quite explain.

_What do I say to her? Aw, man, I feel like such a dummy._ It was Fox's voice, speaking clear as day. His back was turned on her, and she saw that his muzzle hadn't moved at all, but her mind's eye told her that he had directly spoken to her, that he had directly told her that he loved her. She didn't just perceive the words…there were thoughts, emotions and intentions paired along with what she 'heard,' giving it completely new understanding.

"Wh…what did you just say??" She asked incredulously. Steadily, everyone turned their heads to stare at her befuddled.

"No one said anything. Did they?" Peppy stroked his chin, one hand floating behind his back.

Fox looked over his shoulder self-consciously. He just felt like hitting himself. "What's wrong?"  
_I gotta make sure she knows I feel concerned for her._ Krystal 'heard' his voice again. Just like before, there was no sound involved, not even in her head. Just an understanding. She felt what he felt, understood as he would, thought like he did, it was almost like his mind had become her own. Even though she couldn't hear his voice, she just knew it was his mind. Then, all kinds of other thoughts entered her head.

_I want to do something…I want to be useful! I'll prove to them all…somehow._ Slippy. She had previously thought him to be a delightful little lump, but now she saw that he was filled with untold despair. He was far stronger than the others knew, shouldering all the pain all on his own. Victimized as a little kid, and then having those only friends taken away from him...or so it felt. One of them betrayed them all, the other just disappeared, and the last friend, Fox, was all he had left. He was a sad, helpless little frog. He had done so much for the team, even as they mocked and ridiculed him, ignorant to his true self. Without him, they might very well all be dead...but as a mechanic, he was destined to take a backseat to the others.

_I wonder what Katt's doing right now. I almost wish we had never seperated…but I can never tell her that. Not even the others. I'm proud of being a loner._  
Falco. He always pretended to be a proud loner, but she saw that even now he was fully aware of the facade. He had been raised among a chauvanist father, brought up to believe that boys don't cry; that he didn't need anything besides his own strength...a roof over his head and food in front of him. Nothing else mattered. He was eventually forced from a life of delinquency and into the military, where he finally met the lesser-known Katt Monroe. His mind went to war with itself, trying to decide between strength/dignity, and a sense of belonging. Despite the mask he put up for the others, he knew that his pride would be his undoing.

_I can't lose anyone else…I let down my own best friend, I can't lose my surrogate son to another monkey._  
Peppy. The poor elder…even throughout the years he blamed himself for James McCloud's death, and he had never forgiven himself. He had acted as the fatherly figure for Fox afterwards, and if anything happened to him he may as well fade away from existence. That boy was the last thing Peppy had to remind himself of his old friend, and it almost made him feel as though James were still among them.

_I've always dreamed of a world where there were no more crips or bloods or all around tyrants and the like to beat everyone down…I've always dreamed that I was the only one who could do it. But seeing as Lylat fits that paradigm…is this really the best path?_  
Lance. Such a seamless compromise between compassion and cruelty she never knew possible. She knew that he had a lot to hide…a **lot.** She also saw that he was wiser and deeper than anyone could believe, and that there were plenty of problems he had been forced to come to terms with. Through this understanding she knew that he was truly an admirable person.  
Unlike the others, he accepted and even held on to his twisted, tortured memories; in his mind, dealing with them is what gave him strength…it gave him a reason to live and gave him purpose. There were too many scars within him to list, but he was completely aware of each and every one of them, and had embraced them all. The problem wasn't making a decision; it was living through the hell of his chosen path.

_I hate myself…I'm selfish…but I want her to be happy…I want us to be happy. Is it alright that I feel this way? Can a leader feel this way? I have to be strong._  
Fox. not unlike the others, he had several issues he had to deal with...but he shared most of their troubles. Like Slippy, he felt useless and spineless. Like Falco, he felt restricted in the expression of his thoughts and feelings. Like Peppy, he still grappled on the inside with the death of his father…for more reasons than just seperation anxiety. Like Lance, he had a flurry of tormented memories and inner demons…but unlike the human, his mind was still at war with itself.  
She could sense their every thought…she was suddenly aware of the total variety their team held…each with equally complicated minds and souls. Mechanic. Navigator. Ace. Leader. Footsoldier. And herself, the Esper. While she saw them all, Fox stood out the most to her…rather, she could see into and connect with him more easily than with all the others.

_I just want her to like me…whatever happens…everything will be alright._ It was the last thought she heard before the world went spiralling out of control, knocking her unconscious.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Unh…what?" The world slowly reappeared, fading in and out of clarity. "My head…" the frail, blue vulpine heaved herself upright, white sheets ruffling off of her shoulders. Her head was swimming, still reeling from whatever caused her to pass out.

"You just up and fainted." Fox said in a concerned tone. As her vision returned, she found five figures standing around her in a closed off room…possibly a hospital. Fox was seated just a couple feet away, right at the bedside. "We thought something was seriously wrong with you, so we had to get you to a doc as soon as possible."

"So…I just fell?"

"Right after you started hearing things. From Fox, and from the rest of us, I guess." Falco stated bluntly. "Not sure if you remember, but you went pretty wild…with some kinda…seizure."

"Seizure? She looked possessed to me." Lance shrugged. "Freaked the shit outta me, whatever it was." Falco responded by nudging him hard with his elbow.

"What?" he demanded, "She should know what's happening to her. She'd know better than any doctor here."

Krystal looked down, lifting a hand to her forehead. Surprise hit her when she realized that it was bare and her circlet was gone. She looked upwards quickly, to see Peppy holding it out above the foot of the bed. "We figured it had something to do with this. After all, you said yourself that it would help you find the Cerinians somehow." He turned begrudgingly to Lance. "I think you can explain your theory better."

He nodded and turned to his fellow outsider. "I'm assuming that this thing is more than just jewelry…correct? More than just some shiny object."

"That's…that's right."

"Am I right in assuming that it's some kind of modifier?" Her eyes widened ever so subtly.

"Wha…yes, how did you know?"

He suddenly realized how Human knowledge could become very useful even in other worlds such as this one. It was a result of his murder-by-numbers learning that he could recall such random knowledge at a moment's notice, or even that he knew it to begin with…lucky that he had read up on a lot of things back home in his years before arriving in the Lylat system.  
"Back home, a particular culture believes in the 'cosmic powers' far more than any other. In a field of study related to their religion, they taught that the human body…and in your case, the bodies of all sentient beings…had seven focus points of life energy or something like that. Don't remember what they called it." He unfolded his arms and walked to the bedside opposite to Fox.

"Seven focus points? You mean like auras or something?"

"Not sure. Something that translates into 'wheels.' The one most commonly related in the human archetype to psychics was the third-eye area." He placed his pointer finger right on her forehead where the jewel would be.

"A friend of mine used to say: _There's a truth behind every lie._ I never fully believed in any of this stuff, but it can't be a coincidence. As a matter of fact, we all just got this brilliant idea that this tiara of yours let you get inside everyone's head just before you passed out. The sensory overload is probably what sent you off."

"Hey…do all humans know about this stuff?" Slippy lifted off his cap to scratch his head.

"Not really."

"Then how'd you come across it?"

"I read it somewhere on this thing called Wikipedia. Eidetic Memory, remember?" He tapped the side of his head. "Besides, since scientists so narrow-mindedly dismiss it as mysticism and parlor tricks, no one really cares to keep it hush hush anymore. Our knowledge on the subject is too limited to become dangerous anytime soon, so there's really no big secret to keep."

"So?"

"Oh. I just meant that it's uncommon yet easily accessible knowledge."

"At any rate, you're absolutely right." Krystal bowed her head. "That tiara serves as a tool to enhance our intuition…it magnifies our output of energy, so one can only use it if that person has any skill to begin with."

"It…magnifies your power?" Slippy craned forward. "Exactly how much of a difference are we talking here?"

"I really have no idea…but if I were to take a stab in the dark I'd say this particular one is a hundred times at the most."

"Wow." Lance gawked. "I gotta get me one of those."

"It would be useless on you! You have no aptitude at all!" Slippy pouted.

"So that's why you're so confident about finding this Agatio." Fox stood upright. "With all that power stored up inside you, there's no way you could _not_ find him."

"That's right."

"Hey…if you don't mind my asking…" Lance pushed, "_did_ you hear our thoughts earlier?"

She hesitated, looking from Fox to Falco and Peppy and Slippy, and back to Lance. Her eyes fell to her hands, fiddling on her lap before she responded. "Yes. Well…no. I didn't really hear them…I had them."

"Huh?"

"It's not so much that I heard you, it's that the thoughts…the emotions…your perceptions and understanding…they all filled my head all at once."

"Just our immediate consciousness, then?" He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"That's probably the best way to describe it."

_Good...then she saw nothing huge._  
"Fox…?" Falco turned his head towards the leader...now would be the best time for him to divert everyone's attention. Fox was really nervous and tightened up all of a sudden. "Were you thinking things you shouldn't have?" There was a crooked, mischievous grin on his face again, curved and closed off, almost like a lazy cat.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" He lost control of his voice while saying it and the others chortled at his expense…Krystal included.

"Heh...come on. It all adds up. Your sudden awkwardness, her shock at your thoughts. Whoo!"  
Laughs echoed through Fox's ears, now turned away as if to stare through an empty wall.

"Well, I'd bet the Cerinians were a lot more powerful than we previously thought." Peppy stated admiringly. "If they can go this far, there's no telling what else they can accomplish."

The group remained there, speculating and debating the matters at hand. The doctor came in after a while, a plump, stern hen. She squawked at anyone who questioned or doubted her, discouraging anyone from doing so. Krystal insisted that she was fine and could stand up on her own, resulting in another loud string of cursing obscenities from the doc. The nurses came in, forcing the others to leave their falled comrade behind to deal with the old bird on her own.  
The group left the establishment, walking once more into a beautiful world of nature and technology, agreeing that they would return by the end of the day. Their conversation was short lived, however, as a large mob of reporters and photographers arrived suddenly to harass the group with questions and shady deals of all sorts. They were forced to push past the crowd until they found an escape when they entered the border of the Cornerian capital city, guarded by a volunteer group of military police. The media dispersed, flashing their lights no more.

"What did you say you call them again?" Slippy asked, peering up at Lance.

"Back home we called them the Paparazzi."

"Here we just call them leeches." Fox responded. The human laughed at this.


	14. Chapter 14: Planet Hell

Chapter 14: Planet Hell

Cornerians came in all colors, shapes and sizes. Fur, scales, or feathers, everyone was the same. All kinds of different species walked about the city, living in nearly complete ignorance of one another's differences. The sheer variety almost reminded Lance of a serene garden, filled with flowers, trees and greenery of all sorts, growing and living without any strife.

Perhaps they had no choice but to live as such; because there were so many different varieties of animals…all with the gift of speech, self-awareness and higher thought…no single species claimed superiority above the rest. There weren't enough individuals in any one species to break off and dominate the rest, so they had no other choice but to unify and life with one another. Then again…could a potential struggle to reach this harmony be a factor as to why they took so long to progress socially and technologically?

Humans, on the other hand…while ardently insisting that they were all special…were all the same. It was a cruel and inevitable fact of life. There was only Homo-Sapien. So alike was the race that they all felt the need to discriminate between even the slightest of differences. So much so that it became a common paradox for every last 'individual' to come up with a thousand useless reasons why he was special and better than the person next to him. Ironically, in finding an escape, the individual found himself even more uniform than before. Brother turned against brother, neighbor against neighbor, wasting away the undeniably massive potential the race held.

Humans…who should be more unified than any other race…were the most divided of them all.

Lance envied them, in that sense. His mind went over all the endless possibilities of human achievement if they could just tear down the walls…if they could only see how the Cornerians had grown together.  
Had there been any fewer species, they might have gone through countless civil wars. Were they always unified? Did it take countless wars to unify them?

The Cornerians he had spoken to claimed the former, that hawk and cat, fox and rabbit, dog and monkey, could always walk hand in hand without much effort. As a matter of fact, cross-breeding was considered perfectly acceptable. He deduced this by hearing about Katt and Falco's on and off relationship. No one he had ever spoken to had truly considered the fact that there was any difference between any different species of Cornerian.  
But he couldn't help but notice that most of the Cornerian military was composed of dogs. The half-assed explanation he had heard was that dogs 'just tended to join the military.'

The only recent occasion in which a racial uprising had occurred was none other than Andross' ascent to power, followed by the masses of simian followers willing to fight for his soon-to-be empire. Even then, several other species joined in, but the monkeys took the primary blame for the war. It didn't help the human at all…since he was commonly referred to as a "nearly bald primate." He was to monkeys what foxes were to dogs. Even if unconsciously, the numerous similarities served to cause distrust among people who had never really had good experience with one other particular ape…

"So they're leaving you here for a while. I'm sure he's told you already, right?" An intimidating brown figure had to lower his head to get through the doorway. Covered in thick, coco-tone fur, the 300 lb figure turned his silver eyes on his guest. Despite his massive size and strength, the ursine soldier had a jolly, youthful disposition.

"Yeah, that's right." Responded Lance. "Just before taking me here."

"Haha! Guess you can't blame em. I can see how you'd scare someone off with eyes like those." He laughed heartily. "Still though, this is against their agreement with the military, so they'll be back soon. I can guarantee it."

"Their agreement?"

"That's right." The grizzly nodded, tossing a heavy duffel bag into the corner of his messy home with a thud and ruffling of cloth. "Didn't the General tell you? Star Fox has already encountered an alien, and you were their first contact, so the Great Generals figured the team would be the best candidates to look after you."

"Instead of sharing the wealth."

"Exactly." He jabbed a single claw in Lance's direction.

"_That_ deal. Okay, I remember it now." He pulled a hand out of his coat pocket, the other arm still supporting his own bag. It was the best position to take up; in case anyone attacked him, he'd be able to discard the bag and strike a stance on a moment's notice.  
He looked around the average-sized house, scanning every square inch. Unlike the Great Fox, this was comparatively messy, even though it shared several common characteristics. It still felt futuristic, yet somehow homely…the scents and the atmosphere were familiar.

"You like it?" The bear insisted, trotting to the center of the room. Each step rumbled the entire floor. "I spent an hour this morning arranging it just how I like it!"

"But it still looks kinda messy. Was that…?" He didn't try to sound rude; just curious.

"For aesthetic purposes." Ursa finished the sentence for him. He inhaled a giant puff of air through his nose, held it for a moment and finally exhaled it through his mouth. "I think you're gonna like it here! Your first stay in a proper Cornerian home, ain't it? Aw, I shouldn't ask such dumb questions, of course this is your first stay! Hahaha!"

"Falco tells me you're a paranormal enthusiast."

"Extraterrestrial life, more specifically. Here, put that bag down. Oh, I feel like a terrible host."

"Where do I put it?"

"Oh, anywhere." He waved his hands about and then trundled into a nearby room. Lance looked around and tossed his bag next to the one Ursa had dropped off. He stood there for several more seconds before walking down the entry and into a large, cylindrical living room, covering two floors. Opposite the entryway, the entire wall on the farside was one giant window, leaving a splendid view of the city below. In the center of the room hung a large chandelier, and off to the side began a staircase, covering the wall above the entryway and leading up to a balcony on the second floor.

"Up there is your room." Ursa put a big bear claw on his shoulder, leading him up the stairs. They emerged into a large, square room, a cross between a hall and a second living room. Eight feet high, (just enough for Ursa to stand upright) there were two doors on each of the three walls, showing six rooms total. "There: on the far wall, first from the left."

They entered the room. "It's nice." Lance peeked inside, reluctant to to step inside. In all honesty, he didn't trust Ursa enough to leave him blocking the exit.  
"Looks like it hasn't been touched for years."

"That's because it hasn't been." He nodded in confirmation. "It's always been the guestroom, but I don't think I've ever had a use for it." He giggled in childish delight. "To think that my first ever guest is from another star system!"

Lance had no response to this. He didn't quite know what to make of it.

"What's wrong? Cat got yer tongue? Come on!" The bear raised a hand, and Lance jumped back, instincively taking a defensive stance.

"Uh…" Ursa hid his embarassment, taking a quick glance at his paw before lowering it. "I must look pretty scary, huh?"

"……" Lance lowered his guard. "Uh…no. It's my fault." He scratched his head. "Sorry." Despite his impressive size and former profession, he was clearly nothing what the human expected him to be.

Ursa could see that his friend here wasn't the trusting type. "You can relax, little buddy. Around here, everyone supports one another."

"Around here?"

"What?? Oh no, I didn't mean it like that!" Ursa fumbled for words.

"Oh damn, nevermind." Lance raised a hand to his face. "Here, let's straighten everything out. You want to know about Earth, right?"

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

"So how does this work, exactly?" Peppy scratched the back of his head. Everyone was standing in the center of the cargo bay, spacious and very empty at the moment, save a few boxes off to the side. The crew had taken some furniture a few yards away towards the middle where Krystal sat, focusing on something no one else could see.

"It's not as simple as just visualizing what I seek." She responded, opening her emerald eyes. They had all convinced the aforementioned doctors yesterday that there was nothing wrong with her, and that she was better off in the team's care. "As I said before, I'm no where near mastery…or even the typical average Cerinian proficiency…so I can't say for sure. But from what I remember, Espers have to connect with the universe in order to receive information from it directly. Once that's done, _Dousing_ for something is just a matter of 'recalling' it."

"That's all?" Falco grumbled impatiently. "I thought it would something like your mind was drawn to it…like a magnet. Or something."

"No…that _would_ be convenient. But if there _is_ a quicker method, I don't know about it."

"Aw, man, this is gonna take forever!" The bird threw his arms up into the air. "If we go much longer without any more action I think I'm gonna go nuts!"

"Oh, knock it off, Falco!" Slippy waved a hand in his direction. "The system doesn't revolve around you, ya know." Falco just pouted.

"Don't mind him, Krystal." Said Fox, trying his best to sound professional. "However long it takes, we'll wait just like we promised." Despite his attempts, he came off as sounding flirty and a tad pathetic. Everyone overlooked it, for his sake.

"Thank you, Fox." She responded, smiling over her shoulder at him. "I'll be as quick as I can, I promise!"

Results wouldn't come quickly at all. Dousing was a long process, and unbeknowest to her, a dangerous one to the inexperienced. If she wasn't careful, godly, cosmic knowledge might pour into her at an alarming rate and burn out her mind like a candle in the midst of a storm.  
The first few hours she had gone completely unsuccessful, finding that she had not even utilized the skill properly. This dejected the team, most of whom had fallen asleep waiting for her, causing the lot of them to leave and go about their own lives again. Only Fox remained, and even he left after a half hour of encouragement.

"Hey, come on now, I know you can do it!" He insisted.

"And how is that?" she retorted. She was on the verge of screaming; she felt hopeless, since the past few hours had revealed to her exactly how daunting a task this would be, and that she hadn't even made any progress. In her case, it was like being tossed into the planet Aquas expecting to find a single lost marble.  
On several occasions, Krystal had sensed, heard or even seen events on the other side of the system, at the _exact_ moment they occurred. There was profuse accuracy and no delay on her part. No other known energy behaved in this manner; even light itself would require a few seconds to cross that distance. Scanning an entire, eternal universe with that kind of power seemed futile. Even if one could throw their consciousness to another galaxy in a split second, she would have to do so all throughout the void of space. She was still limited by her own mind, after all.  
The exact nature of her power, not even she truly knew. It was unfortunate that she had grown up with few if any connections to her roots.  
"How can you tell me that when you don't even understand how this works?"

"Krystal, your very existence here is proof enough of that." He answered patiently, after which he stood up and walked away. She didn't yet fully understand what he meant by that, but it _did_ make her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  
She was secretly tempted to instead look into their future.

……but just out of curiosity.

Frustrated but determined, she started the process over, this time succeeding in tapping into the universe. Even so, she met with little more success.  
Her attempts went on and off as the days progressed, taking several hours at a time from a day to try and search for her people. There were occasions when she thought she had found them, but then the answers slipped away from her as soon as they had come.  
All she had now were memories; she hadn't touched one of her own in ages.

But more than anything she wanted to know about her own parents.

"How many days has it been, now?" Peppy asked, watching from above. The cargo bay was about 3 stories in total height. Somewhere around the third story, the wall became a mesh fence of sorts, where one could watch from narrow, surrounding corridors. Fox was seated on a bench in one such corridors, watching down on the room where the vulpine maiden searched among the stars.

"This'll be the third." His eyes were bloodshot, never moving their gaze as he sipped a steaming cup of coffee.

"Hey, I hate to ask…" Peppy placed a reassuring hand on Fox's shoulder. "but you don't really think she can do this, right?"

"Of course she can." Fox narrowed his eyes, still not diverting his gaze to Peppy. "I can't imagine what she's gone through all these years…the fact that she can still live from day to day with a smile on her face…it's incredible." He took another sip, rubbing the cup to warm his hands. "I've got that "guilty-to-be-alive" feeling...I can't just lose faith in her. That would be..."

"Just don't obsess over it too much." Peppy sighed, resting his arms behind his back.  
He walked away, leaving Fox to watch by himself.

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

"Where am I?" She stood up immediately, snapped out of her trance. With the echo of a faint screech still ringing in her ears, she realized that she wasn't on the Great Fox anymore.  
A quick glance around was all it took for her to immediately recognize where she _was_ standing.

Cerinia.

It was Cerinia, long after _he_ had wiped them all from the face of the planet.  
She was looking at her planet, present day.

_But…what's going on?_ she thought to herself. She hugged herself out of nervous habit, tiptoed away in fear. _This can't be Cerinia! I thought it was wiped from existence altogether!_

"That's not the case, my dear." A voice spoke to her. Laid back in an almost evil way, the voice spoke to her physically rather than directly into her mind.  
"I shouldn't be surprised that you don't remember. If you did…your sanity would be nothing short of a miracle."

She whirled around, leaping backwards on instinct. "Who are you?"

"Look at me and _tell_ me that you don't recall." The voice came from a hooded figure in front of her. From underneath the shadow of the hood protruded a short snout, carrying feline traits. But his build was too large to be that of just a cat.  
"If my search into your mind was accurate, you should have no trouble remembering specific people."

Krystal continued staring until her eyes stopped shaking. "Agatio?" She said at last. "Master Agatio? I can't believe it!" the snout under the hood hinted at a smile, and he removed the concealment with a single hand.  
Underneath the hood lay the head of a Lion, quite lithe and small, despite what one would envision for such a noble beast. He had even cut off his own mane, motives unknown, and that may have been reason for his stature.

She ran up to embrace him, for he was once a close and trusted friend of the family. They pulled apart, and as most long-lost relatives might do he placed his hands on her shoulders, inspecting her from arm's distance.

"Krystal, let me take a good look at you." His smile was more obvious now, but remained true to his unfeeling nature. He dropped his arms to his side, nodding to her. "My…how you've grown. It seems like only yesterday that you were just a kit, spry with the joys of life."

"It's so nice to see you again…" she lowered her head in a slight bowing motion. "I thought I'd never see you again! You have no idea how relieved I feel right now!"

"Child…you have done well to find us." He looked around a bit, as if to passively suggest something. "However…it would seem that you were instead drawn to our once beautiful planet." He began walking around her, seemingly impressed at how she had grown. "But…you used a rather inefficient method. I don't suppose your elders taught you how to douse?"

"Isn't that what I was doing?"

"You were using an unusual combination of Clairvoyance and Astral Projection. Which was possibly why it was such an arduous task for you to find this place."

"Have you been here this whole time?"

"I'm not even really here. Neither are you, really. Just our consciousness." He finished walking his first circle around her. "I would have come before you sooner, but I wanted to see what you were capable of. Even though you've been on your own for nearly eight years now, you have a good understanding of the forces at work. Please…forgive my lack of consideration."

She felt hurt and offended that he wouldn't help her find them. She wondered why, but they meant so much to her that she forced it out of her mind. "Then…where are you right now?"

"Since we're speaking anyway, I may as well tell you." Agatio looked up to the sky, eyes scanning the heavens. Krystal looked up as well, but found that there was a thick layer of smog filling up the atmosphere. It seemed as though he could actually see through it.  
"It looks like we have arrived just outside of a space zone surrounding a planet you know as Zoness."  
He turned his head slowly to see the surprise on her face, before looking back up to the billowing clouds.

"It's…it's awful!" She moaned. Seeing the planet like this sent another wave of sorrow over her. It was too much for her poor little heart to bear.

"Fear not, young one." Agatio said nonchalantly, still gazing up at the thick layer of smoke. His very words crept into her, forcing her body to calm down and stop quivering.

_Did he do that?_ She thought. _What kind of power does he have?_

"This planet may be uninhabitable, and we may have been forced from our own motherland…but we have found a new home."

"A new home?" sighed Krystal breathlessly. "How could we possibly abandon this one?"

"You've been wandering among the stars for eight long years, searching for answers, have you not? What did you plan to do after that?" He lowered his head, and turned his eyes on her. His head itself was still directed away from her.  
"Did you plan to return to a world where you couldn't even thrive? And even if you could, would you honestly succeed in finding it?" He turned to her and waved an arm, sounding the ruffling of a heavy cloak. "With their technology, the invaders turned our home into a desolate wasteland. In their greed, they tried to take the very soul of the planet. And because we defied them…we lost our lives. We challenged the Gods, Krystal…and we lost. There is little else we _can_ do."

She glanced at the ground, ashamed. "I…I guess you're right. I'm sorry…it's just…it's just that…" she felt about ready to cry, the white and blue fur around her eyes matted in tears. Once more she felt herself forcefully cheer up…it was Agatio's influence again.

"Speaking of mysteries…" he continued in a very business like manner, "there are many more for you to learn than just the fate of your parents." He spoke these words cryptically as he turned his back on her.

"My parents…?" the vixen perked up immediately. "Then you know! You know about them!"

"That, I do." He turned. Krystal let out a great sigh of relief, hands clasped over her chest. "And you do as well."

"_I_ know?" she dropped one hand to her side. "No, I don't! I've been searching for the answers for nearly a decade!"

"……" his piercing, green eyes stared at her for a while. "You do…you just aren't conscious of them." Agatio began walking towards her. "Frequently, a mind will try to lock away painful or harmful memories...memories that are too traumatic for such innocent souls to cope with. Even though you witnessed everything you ever needed to know…the visions and voices were too much for an eleven year old child to bear. Your mind locked them away to avoid the reality, and the next you knew, you were drifting about the universe."

"Why are you telling me this?" She had hoped to learn the truth, and this was quite an unexpected revelation. "I'm older now, and I can handle it! I want to know!"

"We'll talk more on this when we meet in person." Agatio raised his hood again, concealing his face from Krystal. "You will find us at the area I mentioned earlier."

"Wait!" she reached out for him, but the world began fading away, disappearing in a sudden flash of light.

Krystal was alone once more.

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

"Don't go! Don't leave me here! Don't…"

"Krystal! Krystal!" firm hands shook her "Wake up, Krystal, you're dreaming!"

She opened her eyes in shock, finding a beak inches from her face. It was Falco, with the rest of the team close in tow.

"What happened? What's going on?" She shouted frantically. She was trembling uncontrollably.

"I think we should ask you that!" Fox retorted. He sounded angry, but he was more scared than anything else.  
"You just got up all of a sudden and started hearing things, talking to thin air!"

"What?" She took a while to absorb it all. When it dawned on her, she hid her face in her arm. "First on Corneria…now this…"

"Hey, you don't know how to harness these abilities." Encouraged Slippy. "I guess it would just be normal to freak out like that every once in a while."

"Slippy!" Fox hissed at the frog.

"No, Fox…he's right. These are things none of us understand." It was unusual for Cerinians to let their power overwhelm them. For her case, however, it wasn't altogether unexpected. Even so…these 'episodes' of hers might be some kind of warning for them all to heed. "I've never had to deal with this much power before, but now that I have it…it's something I don't know how to deal with."

Falco avoided eye contact. "Hey, I hate to interrupt, but…did you find out where your fellow Cerinians are?"

The vixen was offended by his impatience and tactless attitude. "He said they were on their way…right now, they're on a vessel some distance away from Zoness Air Space."

"He said that?" mused Falco.

"It's all we've got right now." Peppy confirmed.

"Alright! Let's go!" shouted Slippy, excitedly.

"Another adventure awaits, Krystal." Fox held his hand out for her. She glanced at it, and then up at the warm, expectant faces in front of her.

"You guys…" words failed the moved vixen. Grateful for all their companionship, she took Fox's hand, fully ready to head out to what awaited in the unknown.

""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""

Commotion eminated from an outdoor restaurant. Red and golden lights glowed softly in the twilit café, enshrouding the ground in shadow, casting dancing figures on the old-fashioned brick walls.  
It was a busy night…unusual for a weekday like this.  
Those who were lucky enough to come at the right time were graced with the firsthand view of the newly dubbed "Cosmic Castaway." Whispers filled the air as the various customers threw around all kinds of rumors and speculations.

"There he is! And not in some photograph!"  
"He doesn't have much fur, does he?"  
"Yeah, but it's all on his head. Weird…"  
"I heard he was tougher than most of the Cornerian footsoldiers!"  
"But he looks so small next to that bear…how could he be that strong?"  
"I heard that his race has super learning aptitude. They say he mastered our special ops' moves just by watching them."  
"That nose looks kinda weird…"  
"As the rumors go…he's about as cold a killer as Leon P. himself."  
"Really? You're pulling my leg. No one's _baddassier_ than Leon!"  
"Yeah, well have you heard what that crazy lizard can do? I'd like to see the two of them duke it out."

The subject of all the rumors and whispers tried to tune out and ignore all the chatter. After all, a fiersome reputation could only do wonders for someone like him…with it's own costs, of course. He hadn't been here long enough to develop the kind of reputation that satisfied him.

"So then…exactly how often does the Cornerian military call for ground missions?"  
Lance pointed a fork to his ursine friend across the table. Assorted portions of meat and veggies occupied his plate.

"Actually…not very often at all." The bear stabbed at a steak, unable to get a firm grasp on it. He decided he would save it for later, and redirected the destruction to some vegetables in a side dish.  
"A vast majority of battles are settled in the air. And if it takes place on the ground, we usually use vehicles. Only when infiltrating facilities do we use ground troops…taking over enemy bases or reclaiming our own, for example. But even that rarely happens. Before the advent of space travel, though, our battles only took place on foot."

"I see…it's starting to make sense now." Lance prodded his own food. Unable to pick it up, he found himself shanking it just as Ursa was.  
They told the human on the Great Fox that they only had artificial food because of a lack of resources. But that wasn't so; per Ursa, they only use that "kibble," as Lance called it, when they ventured up into space. Food would be easily wasted up there, so only space-farers and soldiers ate that nutritional garbage.

"Yup. Society changes alongside technology. It's just the nature of things." The bear gulped down a glass of water and motioned for a waiter for more. It seemed like the waiter had been watching like the hawk he was just waiting to swoop down to their table. How odd.  
Lance noticed the hawk gave him an odd look every time he did come over. Ursa continued, ignorant of this.  
"So if your people are all divided…and haven't travelled across space yet, I can see how you value ground skills more than we do."

"So footsoldiers of all varieties are now just Special Operatives, simply because ground missions are that rare?" He raised an eyebrow. Even though this all made sense, it had never really occurred to him before.

"That's right. What used to be the army and the marines and the original special ops…are now all just Special forces." He shrugged. "Falco and I were both in a squad of such soldiers. That's how we met."

_Guess that means they also take Black-Op missions. Which also means since I'm just that specialized, I've still got that upper hand._  
"For some reason, physical combat is something the Cornerian Flight academy teaches alongside piloting. So what's the point of taking flight time from everyone if only a small minority joins the ground forces?"

Hey…wait a minute…I thought Falco always took the sky? Did something happen on foot to make him that way?

"For backup. That's how we roll." Responded the grizzly figure. The bear continued to mercilessly beat his food to a pulp. "From what you've told me, Human militaries make a point to specialize people, and focus only on their profession. Pilots are taught how to fly. Infantrymen are taught how to shoot and punch. Seamen are taught how to load up cannons and swab the deck. But the Cornerian military wants to make sure that they'll be able to transfer and distribute their soldiers as they please."

"Which explains why Fox doubles as the team footsoldier."

"_Exactly._" Ursa pointed across the table, his long arm almost ramming into the human's face. "Every soldier is taught how to pilot all kinds of vehicles…all of which have the same fundamental controls…and fight hand to hand. Those are the two main fighting professions. Then there are maintenance workers, those who build and fix the heavy machinery. Oh, and they do all the janitorial stuff, too. And I think that's about it..."

"Sounds pretty simple."

"That it is, my friend! But it gets the job done." Ursa nodded pridefully.

_Yeah, I'm sure it does._ Lance thought to himself cynically. _Did wonders for your Venomian war, didn't it?_

"We rarely have any use for medics anymore, since no one ever comes out of a blown up ship. And if you do, you're usually in one piece and don't need medical attention."

"Hey, Ursa. Lemme go back to something you said earlier." He sat back and folded his arms. "If everyone knows how to fight…how is it that Fox is light years ahead of everyone else on the team?"

"Because he took extra classes, from what Falco told me."

"You mean after he dropped out of the academy?"

"Hell if I know. It's pretty common though, for people to take extra education either in or out of the academy to specialize in any particular field. It doesn't happen a lot, but it's not like those types are hard to find. While they have pretty equal knowledge in just about everything else, their chosen field is completely optional, whether or not that's what they're going to be later on in life."

"So you're saying that if a soldier is going to become a pilot, he learns flying and ground combat. But it's completely optional whether he takes extra courses in flying or not. Correct?"

"That's right."

"And wouldn't this whole system mean that Falco and Slippy and Krystal all have the same fighting ability?" He raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Hey, we're just talking education here." Responded Ursa. "But yeah, assuming those three had graduated at the same time, they'd be on equal grounds. Everything after that…it's hard to predict. There are a lot of factors that effect a person's skill after they leave the academy. Since Slippy and Falco haven't run around in a while, they're bound to have lost their touch by now. And naturally, if guys like me have only ever run around rather than taken flight missions, we'd lose our touch at flying."

"Back home we have a phrase for this." Lance said, acknowledging the statement. "It goes: _Jack of all trades; master of none._"

"Hahahaha! You're alright, kid!" Ursa threw up his arms, drawing more attention to himself than was necessary. "I guess that sums up the military pretty good, don't it?" Evidently, he took is as a compliment, even though Lance said it in a neutral manner.  
"Except for you, of course."

"What do you mean?"

"From what I've heard, you've literally got a two-second learning curve. Is it true you absorbed the Cornerian Military Style like a sponge?"  
That huge head loomed over the table, silver eyes wide with curiosity.

"That's…pretty accurate. I haven't gone anywhere with flying yet, though." Lance shrugged.

"Is every human able to do what you can do?"

_Well…techincally…they're all "able," yes, but do they all know how? No._  
"Yes. Every other human can do what I can." He answered at last.

"That's pretty amazing!" Ursa bared his pointed teeth while smiling. "But wait…if you guys are that smart, how is it that your technology is behind ours?"

"You Cornerians have been slowly progressing since the dawn of your existence. Humans, however…we've only started truly evolving around 600 years before I left home. In that short time we leaped from feudalism to what we are now."

Ursa whistled. "That's quite a feat there!"

"I'm proud to agree with you. My guess is that we only started because it took us a while to expand beyond the limitations of our own religions. Though I'm an atheist, I don't have anything against religion…but way back in the day, it was holding us back from the much needed scientific, philosophical and technological revolution. From then on, everything progressed more smoothly than ever before."

Long after they had finished their meal, the two began the long march back home. Per Ursa's suggestion, the two of them took a stroll through town just to get the human acquainted with the surroundings and the culture.  
Bright lights and fancy window displays, billboards and people with places to go, it really wasn't all that different from Earth.

"You know…" he began as he took a look at a clothing store through a blue-tinted window. "So far you're the only Cornerian I've spoken to personally who isn't scared shitless of me."

"Really, now?" the bear took a few steps in the opposite direction, looking at the women's clothing section.  
"Wonder why that could be. You're a pretty cool guy, I think."

"Me? They just think I'm a killer."

"I heard about that." He walked again, motioning for Lance to follow. "It's probably because you never smile. The entire time we've been talking, never once did I see you grin. Not even a _tee-hee._"

The bear just shrugged. He didn't seem to mind it. "Just by talking to you though, I can see that what the news has said about you is totally true. There's more to you than meets the eye."

"Is that just my reputation? It's just because they've never seen my kind before."

"Maybe so. The press was equally fascinated with Krystal when she first got here. Still is, as a matter of fact. She has a lot of really creepy fans now, too…"

"I'd imagine."

"As I recall there was even an article featuring both of you…I guess the whole alien thing is catching on again." He picked up a magazine, with manipulated photos featuring Krystal and Lance standing back to back. It was titled, _The Mysterious Outsiders: An exotic young woman and a cold yet compassionate wanderer._ Lance glanced at a fine-print description below it.

"Is that my name now? The "Cosmic Castaway?" That's about the third time I've heard that term."

"You don't like it?"

"No, it's cool. It reminds me of a song I used to listen to all the time. It's better than my other nicknames, anyway."

"You had a title back home?" Ursa was intrigued.

"Yeah, I was actually pretty famous back then, too. Only difference was, no one knew who I was...didn't even know what I looked like. They called me the Blackhearted Hero…the Urban Soldier…Mr. Freeze…Dirty Harry. Hell, I had a lot of names."

"You know what they call Krystal?" Lance noticed the tone in Ursa's voice whenever he mentioned Krystal.

"No. What?"

"_Silent Blue._ Beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's very poetic." He agreed. "If I may, though…why do you find the blue fur thing so fascinating?"

"What do you mean? No one has blue fur! Well...maybe a patch or two...and blue feathers and scales, maybe, but this is way different."

Lance raised an eyebrow. He could tell that Ursa _was_ one of the 'creepy fans' he referred to a minute ago. "Oh yeah? Then what about that guy over there?" He pointed towards a racoon on the other side of the street who had just walked by. It was faint, but they barely caught a glimpse of a blue face before the creature pulled it's hood further over it's head.

"Huh?" Ursa glanced over his shoulder. "What the…"

It just dawned on Lance: the Cornerians reflected Earth's own animal kingdom. There was no blue mammal in existence, and if this planet followed that pattern…neither should they.  
So far there was only one mammal in the entire system who had blue fur…and she wasn't even from their main homeworld.

"Wait a minute…" Lance stammered. The two of them watched for a while before turning to stare at eachother, flabberghasted.


	15. Chapter 15: What Came Down the Chimney

Chapter 15: What Came Down the Chimney

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Wait a minute…stop!" Ursa trundled through the crowded square, tossing aside other citizens every which way. "Geez, you're fast…stop running, will ya?"

"Damnit, man, keep it low." Lance muttered. He wore a small device on his right ear, cradling it in front of his mouth with his thumb and finger. "If you're too loud he'll overhear us and the whole thing is off."

"What _thing?_" Ursa called into a similar device. The two of them were communicating between a closed line. "There's something you aren't telling me!"

"What's there to figure out?" A heavy set, reptilian critter brushed past as Lance dodged his shoulder. "Look at him. He's not from around here, if you catch my drift."

"I figured…I just didn't think you were serious. But do you really think he's one of Krystal's own?"

"Positive. I'm sure you know, and I've figured out by now, that Racoons here in the Lylat system aren't supposed to be blue, right?"

"It depends!"

Lance glanced over his shoulder. About 10 meters away, his ursine partner struggled to keep a lock on their target. He was far larger and much less mobile. It had also been many years since he experienced any training for this kind of situation.

"But…why don't we just go up and talk to him?"

"Oh, please. Look at that hood." Lance raised an eyebrow, still focused on the alleged Cerinian. "Look at the way he moves. That guy's hiding something."

"But he's dressed like any normal citizen." Ursa let out a mighty grunt when someone equal in size plowed into his shoulder. "Plenty of people walk around with hoods."

"Watch how he always changes directions: he's looking for something…but by the way he walks it's like he already knows where he's going."

"And how do you figure that?"

"Notice how he's not turning his head to look at his surroundings. He's not observing the terrain or anything. It's a sure sign he's got directions."

"But if he's Cerinian, how would he know anything about Lylat?"

"That's what we're gonna find out."

"Wait…I think he knows we're here!" exclaimed Ursa loudly. It may have been true; the target suddenly stopped, and for whatever reason, knelt down to effectively disappear in a crowd of tall figures.  
"Damn! He just disappeared!"

Lance cursed under his breath. Now he was sure that their quarry knew of their presence.  
He cut directly through the croud, dodging furries left and right, apologizing profusely. When he finally reached the spot where the racoon had bent down, he found that they had already lost him.  
"I bet he's got abilities like Krystal's. Did you see that Tiara on his head?" He turned around, surveying the surroundings. Before long, he spotted the hooded figure quickly walking in the direction from which he had come.

Ursa nodded in confirmation, though he couldn't actually see where his partner or escapee had gone. "Whatever the case…he's got you fooled."

"Heh…it's new to me." Lance had, on several occasions, blended into and escaped through crowds and easily picked people out of such situations with great ease. It was part of his specialty as an expert on Urban warfare. Now things were different; with all the various animals running around, and since he was one of a kind, stealth would be a very difficult issue.  
"Hey...you think he has some kind of a lookout?"

"Hell if I know. Where is he now?"

"Heading down the lane. Right where we started."

"What? No way!" Ursa whirled around and began rampaging back through his former path. "Oops…sorry. Low profile."

"Hey, listen closely. If he does have a lookout...he can only watch one person at a time, right?"

"Right…" responded Ursa almost questioningly.

"Which means if he avoids one of us, the other will still be able to catch up to him. And he's been dodging me this whole time…"

"That means that the contact can't see me, and it's up to me to tag him. Right?"

"Damn straight. Just…_don't_ tag him. Keep a good distance. Close enough to keep an eye on him, far enough to stay concealed." Lance looked upwards at the buildings. There couldn't be someone up there…it was too immobile a position; the Cerinian must have ordinance on the ground.  
"Just follow everything I say, alright?" As he finished this sentence, he tried his best to stay out of sight anyway, gliding along the sidewalk, cutting through the side of the crowds. He spotted Ursa stomping along closer and closer to the Cerinian.

Whichever one of them would be seen, the other would always be able to keep pace. The point, after all, was to first throw off whoever was tracking them before continuing the chase.

"See that tram coming from that street up there?" A middle sized, train-like vehicle roared through the streets, clear of any crowds and traffic. The vehicle was about to stop at the nearest corner. It ran along a single rail, enclosed by two short, parallel walls. Not unlike a railroad crossing back home on Earth, the enclosure slid open in the middle when the train was not present. One could still hop over the divider with great ease, however.  
"Get ahead of it. Now."

"Hoohoo! You _are_ a fast learner!"

"Huh?"

"Ah, it's nothing. Nevermind." Ursa was of course, referring to the fact that Lance could learn about how things worked so quickly that he could immediately plan out an entire route in his head. He had expected this human to screw up because of the terrain and transit of the thick, Cornerian capital.

Ursa ended up in the middle of the street, just beyond the tram. As predicted, it had stopped at the curb, and it was large enough to obscure a good portion of the street from the view of any possible watchers. In terms of length, it extended from one curb to the other, stretching behind both opposing buildings.

"Now, while you're hidden, run to the other side of the street."

"Heh…what a sly dog you are!" Ursa skipped along quickly to the curb as directed. Now just several yards away from the target, only a tram seperated the two of them.

"Now to make sure he doesn't get on the bus, eh?" Lance joked as he rounded the corner. As he did, an open path between the divider and the nearby building stretched ahead of him, completely empty. The divider in this area increased in height to nearly two stories high, forming an impassable wall.

"Without an ID? Fat chance." Replied his partner in crime.

"Uh…" Lance hesitated. "Is that how it works? Because…"

"What? Is he gone?"

"He can't have gotten far." Lance double timed, making sure not to run conspicuously, all the time keeping tabs on his surroundings. Any minor detail might tip him as to where and how his catch may have escaped.

Nothing came to him.

"Uh…Lance?" There was no response. "Lance? Are you there?" Ursa barked into the speaker. The tram was already moving again, dozens of faces peering out through the windows, and there was no sign of the azure stranger.

"I'm working on it." Lance snapped back. He lost him. It made no sense, considering the circumstances. Unlike Earth's typical cities, the structures here were far more spread out. But the path on this particular stretch between the divider and the building was narrow and awkward. There were also no nooks or crannies in the wall for the racoon to use to escape or hide, and according to Ursa he couldn't have possibly boarded the train without an ID. His only option would have been to run straight forward and escape into the next intersection, but that was much too far away for him to disappear in an instant.

"He's gone." Muttered the human. "He's frickin' gone."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Zoness, a once beautiful, tropical planet once inhabited by a colorful variety of flora and fauna, none of which were capable of building advanced civilizations, however. Back before the days of strife the planet was once a tourist hotspot prided by the entire Lylat system. It flourished under the guidance of the Cornerian government's guiding hand.  
But when Andross broke out of exile and attacked the rest of the system, Zoness was ruined as a toxic waste dump. It also served as a base of operations, but that purpose was secondary.

After eight long years of cleanup and restoration, Zoness had not fully recovered its former beauty. The Cornerian federation had done all in its power to reshape the world, but after nearly a decade, the world is still only half-recovered.  
Amazing how much easier it is to destroy than to create.

"It should be near here." said Krystal. "Near enough for the Great Fox to scan for it."

"We're not picking anything up." Peppy replied. "ROB has been on the scanner's for the past hour we've been here and we've got nothing."

"Let's just expand the field of vision." Slippy suggested. "Shouldn't be too hard to do."

"Fine." Fox nodded to Slippy, giving him the ok. "Go ahead and see what you can find."

"Wait…I don't think we'll need to." Peppy craned forward to look at the screen close up. His squinted eyes suddenly widened in shock. "I don't believe it! They've been right on us this whole time!"

"Eh? How can that be?" Falco hopped up out of his seat, as if waiting for an excuse to shoot something out of space. "We've been tracking 'em for the past hour!"

"Why is this such a big deal?" Slippy shrugged, looking over his shoulder. "They hid themselves before. Maybe they're just shy."

"It's not that, Slippy…" Peppy whirled around. "The ship…it's…" he kept fumbling his words, opening his mouth to speak, but nothing sounded. He just shook his head. An eerie silence hung in the air, thick and stale like a black fog.

"ROB." Fox had been quietly listening to them for most of the time. Only occasionally did he break the silence. "Turn the Great Fox so we can all see the vessel."  
ROB turned to his station to do as the leader ordered. Folding his hands together, finger to finger, Fox turned to face Peppy. Whatever he was trying to say, it obviously troubled him to some degree.

As the stars veered upwards, implying that the ship was pivoting, the team all craned forward to see a small, black dot off in the distance.  
Peppy gulped, and Krystal quickly glanced at him, sensing a strange mix of fear and vengeance. What could he have seen?

"Move in closer." Fox ordered, hands still folded. The ship slowly crept towards the object, the only audible sound being the humming of the ship's engines and various life support systems.  
The black object slowly grew larger and larger, with features suggestive of a space vessel becoming more and more apparent. Short, sickle-like fins protruded from the top and sides, surrounded by longer, scimitar shaped wings. The body itself was of sleek, round design. The entire ship was a jet black, demented starlight reflecting off of the hull, save a dull spot of twisted metal where laser fire had obviously cut through.

"Is…is that…?" A trembling fist formed at Falco's side.

"I can't believe it…! If this is the Cerinian escape ship…" Slippy dashed over to Peppy, who had known about the ship moments before any of them.

Krystal nervously glanced over to Fox, eyebrows curled upward in distress. "Well…Cerinians…never achieved the space age…how else would we have gotten this far?"

"It's…a Venomian cruiser." Fox muttered. "What a twist."  
He parted his hands, gripping the armrests next to him. "Krystal. Do you sense life aboard that ship?"

"Yes…much of it." she replied. She didn't know whether to be frightened or excited. She was sure that there were Cerinians aboard that ship. Then again…she sensed far more than should be possible, considering the limited size and supplies of that kind of ship.  
There was also the fact that this once belonged to enemies of the peaceful denizens of the Lylat system. Fox was the first to articulate this thought.

"What connection does your people have with Venom?" He spoke dully and emotionlessly. Krystal shrunk back in response; she sensed that Fox felt hurt and betrayed, yet he was trying to be just and fair all the same.

"I…Fox, you don't think that we…"

"Krystal." He interrupted, trying his best to sound negotiable. "Do you know of any connection between Cerinia and Venom?"

"No, no I don't!" She pleaded. "I don't know how this happened!"

"Well didn't this Agatio of yours say…"

"Fox!" Falco yelled, pounding a nearby console with the butt of his fist. "That's enough! Let's just go down there and investigate! I'm sure there's a good explanation for all of this."  
Falco, though pretending to a shameless tough guy, _did_ have a soft spot in his heart. He turned around with a snort when he felt the stares of all those eyes rested on him.

There was a somewhat lengthy pause before Fox spoke up again. "Alright, team, let's head down."

"Great. ROB and I will back you guys up as always. Just be careful…you never know what you may find." Peppy nodded and pointed to the door. Fox nodded and motioned for the others to follow, and with that, he, Falco, Slippy and Krystal left the room. Peppy hustled over to take over Fox's throne, hitting a few buttons to bring up a screen on the monitor.

"Hm…Krystal said she sensed lifeforms…" he muttered to himself. "…but I'm not picking anything up. What do you make of it, ROB?"

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

_Did she sense what I was feeling at the time?_ Fox wondered to himself. _Way to go, dummy…she probably hates you now…_ for some reason, sitting there in the cockpit of his arwing, the red vulpine felt humiliated yet totally guilty. He hated himself for feeling that unjust hostility towards Krystal. He knew this 'connection' meant nothing; she was so much kinder and more compassionate than any ally of Venom could be. As for his embarassment…he knew very well that she could pick up stray thought patterns, through which her mind would pick up on emotion and intent. That in mind, she must have sensed his sudden suspicion.

Even if only for a moment, he had suspected that she or her people were somehow in league with Andross, and in that moment he saw her as the enemy. She knew it too.  
How could he possibly face her after that? The prospect of her fearing or hating him made him want to smack his head right up against the glass above him. All of a sudden he felt like wrapping her up in his arms and pouring his guts out.

_Ah! Shut up, damnit!_ Fox thought to himself, consciously jerking his head around. _Jerk! Who do you think you are? You don't have a right to think like that! She's just a friend…and she needs your help, not your suspicion.  
What the heck am I talking about?_ Emotions clouded his thought, and he had to shake it all aside to remember the mission.

"Fox? Did you hear me?" A cocky voice sounded over the comlink in his cockpit.

"Huh…what?" He seemed to jerk back to life, and he just noticed how tightly he had curled his fist during his pensive state.

"Stop daydreaming and get a move on!" It was Falco, of course, making sure to keep the vulpine leader in check. The other two remained silent, awaiting his next order.

"Right….right…" he hesitated a few more moments before switching on all the primary functions of his Arwing. "All systems are set to go, and supplies are nominal. Is everyone ready to go?"

"Ready!" squeaked Slippy.

"Let's get this party started!" Falco

"……" Krystal remained silent.

"Krystal?" Fox prodded.

"…ready." She confirmed.

"Alright…" he spoke softly, but quickly regained his composure. "Let's move out. And remember to give our guests a good first impression."  
The hatch opened up, and with a loud hiss of rushing air, space revealed itself to the pilots. With a quick release of a large, metallic apparatus, the Arwings were free to fly off freely into the depths of space.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Back on the fourth planet of the Lylat system, Corneria, two newfound friends wandered home after a long day out. One felt utterly defeated, the other, carefree and supportive.

"Hey, forget about it! These things happen! I don't know about your record before coming here, but you can't catch 'em all, can you?"  
Ursa ran a couple feet ahead of Lance, leaning down and turning back to face that troubled face.

"Well…it _was_ a simple layout…" he replied. "But that's no excuse. With someone of my capabilities, this should have been a cinch. I've never lost a quarry like that before…for the past six…uh, 54 years…" he had to correct himself; he had been been asleep for nearly half a century after all. "…I haven't lost a single fight, haven't lost anyone's trail or even failed a single job."

"So what makes this guy so different?"

"I don't know…" he moaned. "For some reason I couldn't shake his 'asset.' He knew exactly where I was going, when I was doing it…wait a sec."

"What's the matter?"

"Damnit!" Lance smacked his forehead, leaving behind a huge red mark on his forehead. "He must be clairvoyant!"

"Whaaaat? Why didn't you think of that before?"

"It _did_ occur to me! But you know...if he was, then there'd have been no purpose to try and evade him!"

"What do you mean by that??"

"The best I could have done with such limited knowledge was try to evade detection as I would against anyone else. I have no idea how his powers work…and until I find out I'll just have to go on guesswork."

"So what are you gonna do next time?"

"Deception is the basis of all warfare, Ursa." Lance folded his arms. By now, they had wandered from one alley, through a grassy knoll and right into another alley. "If we're facing an enemy who can't be deceived, the best we can do is overcome him with brute force. At least, that's what I'd normally say. But in a case like this…"

"…we won't know what other powers he possesses, or if someone is working with him. Right?" Ursa finished his sentence for him.

"Let's just think this out before anything else." He stopped walking, shaking his hands next to his head. "First off, if we assume he _is_ clairvoyant, that means he could be watching or listening to us even as we speak."

"So why do we bother doing anything right now?" Ursa stopped walking as well. "I mean…if he can see us, who's to say he can't read our minds?"

"From what Krystal told me, it doesn't work that way." Lance nodded. "According to her, his powers fall under the "Esper" category…just like her. Meaning he can't interact with another mind, but he can draw all kinds of information from the universe around him."

"So shouldn't we keep our thoughts to ourselves? I mean…if we stop talking right now, we can still fool him. Right?"

"That's what I thought at first…but we have to communicate somehow. I mean…you want to be a part of this, don't you?"

"Well…yes, of course!"

"As for me…I prefer to work alone. But considering the circumstances, I don't think we have that option against a foe like this."

"What again makes you think he's a foe?"

"He knows what's going on. And he's hiding something. That's the red flag, isn't it?" He looked over his shoulder, just in case someone was standing there. "Krystal knew they were coming…and as far as I can tell, they're the ones who told her. They came here for a purpose…and I don't think it's a peaceful one."

"Alright…so what's your plan?"

"I guess…well…like I said, we should communicate, but only when necessary. After all…you bring up a good point: we should keep to ourselves anything that we don't absolutely need to share between one another. Though they undoubtedly have a telepath as well…"

"This keeps getting better and better…" Ursa let out a heavy sigh. "Do you think we should go tell your buddies about this?"

"It doesn't seem serious enough to tell them." He pondered. "But for now I guess that's all we can do. Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"I've been wondering something…as a matter of fact, I've been wondering ever since I met Krystal."

"Oh?"

"Have you ever noticed how similar the names _Cerinia_ and _Corneria_ are?"

"Yeah, but I always thought it was just archetypal. You know…that since we were so genetically similar that we developed the same language."

"Uh…I'm not sure it works that way."

"Well do you have a better theory?"

"Going back to the genetics thing you brought up…I think the two worlds share a common ancestry."

Ursa raised an eyebrow. "Just because we look alike? You spoke the same language as we did, and we look nothing alike."

"It must be a universal language. Look…point is, you guys are just WAY to similar for it to be ignored. Krystal also told me that most of the Cornerian species resembled the same species found on Cerinia. The same variety…same genes…and all that jazz."

"Well…that _is_ a bit of a coincidence."

"And if you _do_ share a common ancestor somewhere down the line…I have no doubt that there's at least one person in this system who knows the tale."

"Oooh! This is so exciting!" Ursa giggled like a little schoolgirl. Despite his insane size and power, he was quirky in his own wonderfully demented way.

"And I think the best place to start looking would be the highest authority in all the land." Lance suggested. "The Cornerian Federal Government."

"Oh, come on. If they knew they'd tell us, eh?"

"Heh. I forgot how trusting your people were." Lance scratched the side of his head. He still didn't trust them…but compared to Earth's own governments, that of Corneria never seemed to act nearly as shady or underhanded. It was an amazing and enviable pact they shared with the citizens. Regardless, Lance thought this was an idealistic, inefficient structure. But for the past millenium or however long the nation stood, the system worked…possibly because of their unique sociological behavior…so he knew wasn't one to judge.

"That's good news for me then. I'd hate to infiltrate a bureau somewhere for information." He sighed and looked over his shoulder again. Suddenly he felt almost sure that someone was watching.  
"So is it agreed? Is that our next destination?"

"Agreed!" Ursa confirmed, pointing a huge claw down the alley. "Let's go, sidekick!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." A lazy, cocky voice interrupted. "Not with a dangerous mind like yours."

Lance and Ursa spun around. Though the voice came from behind, no one stood there. They glanced at eachother before looking all around in the narrow alleyway. Lance finally looked upwards, spotting the source of the voice, clinging to the wall above them.

"You!" He exclaimed.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Fox…I got a real bad feeling about this…" Slippy hunched over, eyes zipping every which way as he crept along the path ahead.

Three other sets of footsteps sounded, clicking against the old, metallic floor. The four of them had emerged in a makeshift docking bay in the side of the ship. They had stepped out into the threshold, a short corridor, no more than ten yards high and wide. At the end of the hall, two double doors scaled the entire height. But there was something odd about it…it didn't seem like it fit in with the rest of the design.

For one, it was a stone door, engraged with unique, tribal hieroglyphics over almost every square inch. Around the hinges of the door, it almost looked as though someone had taken a paintball gun and haphazardly soaked the whole wall around. A deep saffron color extended from the door and faded into the silver of cold steel. Near the floor, a regal carpet of a cobalt hue, sporting the same designs as the door, extended out further across the ground. Like other features on the door, it's color and form morphed and faded into the hard ground. Underneath the carpet lay golden tiles, and wherever the anomalies were found, a system of "veins" could be seen spread all throughout the area around the door.

"You're right, Slippy." said Falco. "It looks like someone's been remodelling."

"Krystal? What do you make of this?" Fox peered over to Krystal, her ear twitching at the sound of his voice.

"I don't know what to think." she said quietly. "This must be the power of a Seer, there's no doubt about it."

"We should find a way to open the door." Suggested Fox, closely inspecting the hieroglyphs. "Doesn't look like they'll budge anytime soon."  
He moved his hands along the surface, leaning against the great stone slabs. He was unable to push them aside, so he tried to pull them open instead, fastening his hands in the grooves between the stones. Nothing.

"If you look here…" Slippy popped up behind Fox, pointing over his shoulder. "there's a spot where you can fit in your hand." The designs thatched together in one spot to outline the shape of two hands, one on each door. Slippy placed his hands in both, and waited for a long time. Still nothing.

"Hm…what if Krystal tries it?" he mused.

"Well, I'm not sure if that will make any difference…" she said, ears lowered. "But…I guess there's nothing to lose." She walked up to the door, now standing tall and confident. She steadily placed one hand in the slot, and then the other. Even now nothing happened. The vixen looked over her shoulder at the other three, watching intently, and turned back to focus on the door. She closed her teal eyes, focusing all her will on the humongous gateway.

"Hey, uh…Fox?" Falco whispered, careful not to disturb the Cerinian's concentration. "Even if _she_ had nothing to do with Andross…it's clear that the rest of them do. So…" his voice trailed off. He didn't want to say anything, but he was blatantly suggesting something.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He murmured, shaking his head. "If the Cerinians lacked space travel like Krystal says…than it's clear to me that Andross is the one who initiated first contact."

"Hey…you don't think Andross…?"

"What the hell!" Fox's gaze slowly drifted away from Falco and towards the large double doors. From the spots in which Krystal had placed her hands, a blue light swam across the entire wall. Not only across the granite gateway, but all over the entire room. The blue lights flashing across the surface through a series of angular veins and tunnels, illuminating the air with a dim glow.

"Krystal!" Fox yelled, extending a hand towards her. The light flashed brilliantly, freezing him where he stood. "Ack…what's going on?"

Luckily for the rest of them, the lights began to die down, leaving behind dimly glowing particles of dust drifting around the room. The bluish shine remained, casting an aquatic aura on the Star Fox team.

"Oh…what just happened?" Krystal opened her eyes, examining the room in a dazed manner.

"You mean you didn't notice that blinding light?" Slippy said, vigorously rubbing his own large oculi. "Ooh…my eyes…it was like a mini supernova!"

"I guess I just dozed off." She shrugged sheepishly.

"Well whatever you did…looks like it got the job done." Falco put his hands on his hips, pushing his crest feathers back. "The door just up and disappeared…which means we can mosey on through this here ship."

"Alright then. What are we waiting for?" Fox nodded and pointed ahead decisively. "Onward, ho!"

"Hey…where's the welcome wagon?" Falco jogged through the newly formed portal in the wall, stepping out into a grand hall. While running he spun around to inspect the circular room until he halted in the very center. Below him lay a mosaic, forming the great crest of Cerinia. It depicted a compass, with four animals facing each of the four main directions. The head of a Lion mounted the northern point; a racoon on the west, a bear on the east, and a cat on the south. In the very center of the four heads sat an open eye, glaring malevolently at another crest of the same design…this one placed on the ceiling fifty feet above.

"To tell you the truth…I kinda expected this." Fox responded to Falco. His eyes wandered aound the room in awe. It seemed like every surface was formed with a smooth marble, streaks of black coursing through the material. Everything was bathed in the cerulean glimmer, matching the exact color of Krystal's fur. "After all…they've made us work for their audience ever since they first revealed themselves."

"Don't be like that!" said Krystal, offended at Fox's criticism. "They have their reasons…they're far wiser than we are."

"Alright, alright…I didn't mean it like that." Fox held his hands up defensively. "Let's just search the ship top to bottom until we find who we're looking for. See there, at the top of the first flight of stairs?"

Several yards away, a smaller, wooden door sat at the top of a short flight of stairs. This one looked wooden, and a lot easier to manage. From the platform the first flight led up to, two more series of steps ascended along the outermost walls of the room, ending at two more doors sitting opposite to one another at the top.

"We should split up and take different sections of the ship. Slippy, you take the west wing up there. Falco, take the east wing. Krystal and I are heading straight ahead."  
Krystal tilted her head away, trying to conceal a tiny grin. She secretly felt flattered, but was too embarassed to let the others know.

Falco and Slippy weren't ashamed in the least. They slowly turned to face eachother, both with toothy smiles covering the entire width of their sly faces.

"Getting a little ahead of ourselves, aren't we, Foxy boy?" Falco strutted over to fox and patted a wing on his shoulder.

"Wait…what? Hey! There's a very good reason for the setup here!" He slapped away Falco's hand.

"Oh, I'm sure there is!" Slippy hopped to his side, punching his hip since he was too short to see him eye to eye. "You've just been waiting for this moment the past six months, haven't you? To be alone at last with…OOOOW!!"

Up until Fox smacked him on the head, Slippy had been wearing a smug, toothless little smile. He now clutched his head where Fox had clocked him.

"What was that for??" he wailed.

"Look. Last time I checked, I was the leader here." He folded his arms and ruffled his tail. "And for that reason I should stay with the only Cerinian here, since I'm the most fitting representative for the Cornerians. And since Krystal's likely to attract the audience of this famed Agatio, it's the ideal matchup. Wouldn't you agree?"

"So you think that this setup is going to ensure that you get first contact?" Falco raised an eyebrow.

"That's right." He said simply.

"That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard." Slippy grinned again, and pounded fists with Falco. Krystal shot a quick glance at Fox, who just turned his head in shame.

"Bah…whatever. Let's just go."

"Hey, not like we'd get in your way. Just don't get too cozy, eh? Heheh…" The two groups headed up the stairs. Fox and Krystal pushed against both doors, forcing the path open. From the platform where they stood, Falco and Slippy walked up more stairs leading in opposite directions. The two foxes disappeared into another glimmering room, while the avian and amphibian marched on through their own paths.

_Heh…I guess I kinda envy those two._ Falco thought to himself. He had emerged into a long stairwell. _Bah…what am I saying? I'm too badass for that kinda thing._  
He lifted his head in pride, but his demeanor soon turned into a sulking frown. Without another word or thought, he began his slow ascent through the heavens.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Hey, uh…Krystal?" Fox broke the long silence, as the two entered a garden, more or less. It was an illusion, judging by the size of the environment. They stood on a long pier comprised of smooth marble, and ten feet below them flowed a serene river, extending about five more yards to either side, and an endless stretch into the horizon. Every few hundred meters, a glorious, glowing stone arc rose above the waters, reaching the clouds of the starry sky before descending down upon the other side. Beyond either side of the river's shore, grassy knolls extended as far as the eye could see, until they faded into obscurity through the horizon. All throughout the air, the same floating particles as before hung stationary in the air around the vulpine explorers. In the distance, a sparkling moon sat just close enough to pluck right out of the sky, emitting a pale light onto another comparably smaller moon just behind it.

"Hm? What is it, Fox?" She was mesmerized by the scenery. As soon as they had walked into this room, they knew it was an illusion of Cerinia…the scene on the lid of a sleeper's eye. A small doorway stood on the veranda behind them, leading into another room, though in appearance it opened through thin air.

"I…I just want to apologize for before." His voice was quivering, his fists shaking at his side.

"Apologize for what?"

"You know what…I mean…" he shook his head. "Before, on the Great Fox, I might have come off as a bit stand-offish. You know?"

"Oh. About Venom, you mean?"

"Y-yeah. That's it."

She hesitated, watching him with those lidded eyes before softly smiling with closed lips. "Fox, you don't have to apologize for that."

"I want to say it anyway." He said suddenly. "It was out of line. I wasn't thinking…it's just that…seeing a weapon of Andross' in service just…it…" He held out his hand for support, as if to hold something that would give him the answer in plain words.

"You don't have to say anything." She insisted. "I know this must be a great surprise for you. To tell you the truth, I don't quite know about it either. I guess…" she remembered what Agatio had told her about her memory, that her mind had blocked out every mystery she once yearned to unearth.  
"…I guess I was just too young to understand."

"It's alright. I know you enough by now to realize that you aren't a part of any conspiracy or something like that." He smiled sheepishly, still quivering ever so slightly. If his emotions were obvious to any normal person, Krystal surely understood what he was thinking right now.  
"So…I'm sorry. Again. It's just…everything Andross has done, everything he left behind…"

"Like your Father?"

"Yeah…like that." It hit him hard. Most people would have stayed away from the subject, but Krystal had chosen just the time to bring it up.  
"It was such a lonely time…I felt like I could never forgive him for taking my dad away from me like that." He suddenly became acutely aware of how similar to Lance he sounded.

"I know how you feel." She lowered her head. "My parents…they were also taken from me. I don't even remember how…but the visions…the last I remember of them, we were so happy. And it just hurts so much to be so ignorant of how they died…" her face contorted as she struggled to hold back the tears.

"I just…feel so rotten. Just like I shouldn't be allowed to live while they died." She held a hand to her heart as she spoke. "I don't know how or why…all I know is they died for me. I feel like I can never forgive myself for their fate."

"There was nothing you could do…so don't worry." Fox looked at her sadly. "After all, we'll find out about them soon enough, won't we? Whatever happened, they were your parents and they loved you very much. If they died for you, they must have really wanted you to be happy."

"I'm glad to hear that…" She smiled softly. Only her outline and her teeth were acutely visible in the starlight. "You always know what to say."  
She lifted her hands behind her head and unfastened her tiara, thereby removing it. To someone like Fox, this action was meaningless. But to the Cerinians, it was a very profound gesture. By removing the circlet, she had deprived herself of her sensory and empathic abilities. And in doing so…put herself on a level of consciousness equal to that of Fox's own. It was an almost sacred gesture, which Cerinians practiced only with those they trusted more than anyone else…and it was commonly associated with lovers. In handicapping herself, she had equaled herself to him that she may not see his mind while he remained blind.

Abashed, she spoke to him. "Now…we can talk on equal terms. I want to hear you out like a normal person. I don't want to have to see inside you…that would be inappropriate."

The two of them sat down at the edge of the walkway, staring up into the sky as they exchanged stories and memories. For the first time, they had a truly enlightening conversation. Fox told her everything about himself; from the time he was just a young pup, to the time he joined the Cornerian flight academy, and up until when his father was betrayed by the rogue known as Pigma Dengar. His life hadn't exactly been easy…his mother had passed away soon after his birth, and his father was all he had left. That is…until the tyrant known as Andross took him away. In the meantime, he grew up with feelings of inadequacy…always feeling just close enough to his goals, but messing up and failing…tripping at the finish line. Loneliness filled his heart, and he soldiered on, head held high, all to try to push the pain away. He had accomplished much in life, but something still ate away inside…after all these years he still didn't know what.

Krystal, however, suffered much more than Fox had. Fox only lost his parents and a few of his friends. She lost her parents and her entire race. For eight long years, her life was all she had left, and she marched on trying to find out: Why? Why did things end this way? Why did the world die, and what did we do to deserve it? What happened to her parents? From the very beginning she would cry herself to sleep…longing for a relief. All the time she contemplated taking her own life. But something held her back…something deep inside gave her hope. It kept her faith alive.  
The silent, blue vixen was far lonelier than Fox or anyone else could ever fathom. She had literally been alone in the universe, and all she really wanted at this point was a shoulder to lean on. As soon as she met Fox, all those feelings melted away…she felt that she would at last have a home to call her own. While her initial search still meant something to her, she discovered that having friends and family was more important to her. Better yet…when she heard that another alien like herself had arrived at the system, she felt almost sure that she would feel the love and understanding she had longed for all these years…that she could finally talk with someone else who knew what it was like to lose everything.

She had been greatly disappointed.

Krystal was sure the human knew how she felt…and could definitely relate. And despite her previous judgments, she knew deep inside that his monstrous reputation was unfounded. In the brief moment she had seen inside his mind and everyone else's, she could sense that his nature was the brightest of all of them. He was a mysterious one indeed…and she realized her error.  
_Fox judged me a while ago…but he was wrong. So what made my thoughts any different? _She turned her head to stare into Fox's eyes. They were green…just like hers. Just like the human's own eyes.  
_I'll have to apologize to him, too, when we get back home. He's more like me than I knew before…I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about next time. _

"To tell you the truth…I feel the same guilt you do." Fox murmured, mesmerized by the night sky. "I guess this is what they call 'guilty to be alive'. I feel bad that you've had it worse off than I have."

"Don't be. Things can only get better from now on." She smiled at him and leaned in closer, so close that their arms pressed together. "Now…I'm just glad I have someone to fall back on." A chill went up Fox's spine, and he went stiff, completely absorbed in the moment. He turned his head and slowly craned forward, his snout inches away from her own.

"Oh, you poor little child." A voice from behind interrupted them. It startled the two foxes as they shot up to their feet, whirling around to face a petite, male lion. "Are you so lonely that you could not reserve yourself for just a little while longer? And you've even removed your jewel."


	16. Chapter 16: Over the Hills and Far Away

Chapter 16: Over the Hills and Far Away

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

The sudden appearance of the bestial, feline stranger took Fox completely by surprise. Since the ship previously showed no signs of life at all, and Krystal had even become unable to sense their presence, he had concluded that the survivors had abandoned her again.  
In his current predicament, though, he was in no position to call them out.

"W-what? You're…!" He took a defensive stance, immediately sidestepping away from Krystal.

"Master Agatio!" Krystal shrunk back in shame, clutching her tiara in front of her. "It…it's not…nothing's wrong!"

"Young man." Agatio turned his head, his golden, predatorial eyes focusing on Fox. "I thank you for looking after our lost child, but I will not sit idly by and watch you defile her innocence."

"What?? But we didn't…"

"Do not insult my judgment." he commanded. His voice was quiet but strong. Fox, if he hadn't heard that Agatio was a lion, might have mistaken him for another type of large cat. He had imagined a strong, elegant lion with a glorious, flowing mane. But his stature was diminutive like an impoverished commoner, and his clothing simple like a humble monk. "It seems you mistake my powers…I am capable of far more than you think possible."

Fox stared blankly, unable to say anything in his defense. Was this frail excuse for a lion trying to imply he could see Fox's thoughts and intentions?  
_That and much more, young one._ Agatio's voice rang out malevolently in Fox's mind. The vulpine outsider's ears twitched suddenly, horrified to think that his thoughts were no longer secret.  
_Now are you aware of your vulnerability? You would do well to regulate your thoughts…or one of us will do it for you._

Agatio's limits went far beyond all of Cerinia's expectations. Hence his status as one of history's greatest, the assortment and varieties of his abilities had previously been considered impossible.  
"Although I suppose I can't blame you. Our basest, most bestial urges have been buried under the weight of society's influence…both Corneria's and our own."

"Social conditioning?" Fox echoed.  
_So if Krystal's been on her own for eight years…what does that mean for her?_  
He felt Agatio's gaze pierce through him.

"Uh…right…" Fox scratched his head, trying hard not to think any _thoughts._ Nothing had truly crossed his mind before, but now that it had occurred to him…  
"HEY!" He yelled, unable to control his voice. "You're the leader of the remaining Cerinians, aren't you? Agatio?"

"So you've heard."

"Uh…yes." He hesitated a long while, struggling to think of something to say, pushing lustful thoughts out of his mind.  
_Damn! Shut up! Go away!_ He thought to himself. His eyes twitched as he glanced over to Krystal. She was looking down at the circlet she had removed.

"Um…Master." She said, saving Fox from the awkward moment. "You…gave this to me. I think I should return it now." She held her circlet out to him, the metallic string hanging off the edge of her hand.

"Keep it, dear." Agatio held out a blue paw to decline the offer. It shortly returned inside his robe's sleeve, drooping at his side. "You need it more than I."

"What for?" She asked, placing it on her head once more. "Now that we're together again…we can rebuild without any more worries."

Agatio hesitated, watching her for several seconds. "_Rebuild_, child?" His eyebrows raised in sorrow, eyes narrowing. "Things are worse off than they seem…"

"What do you mean…?" She took a step forward. "There are others left, aren't there?"

"Of course. But…in alarmingly small numbers." He turned to gaze at the scenery around them.

"So there's you, me…" Krystal prodded.

"There are six others, all of them Seers." Agatio bowed his head, and Krystal remained speechless. "At least…for now. That may change soon."

"For now?" Fox raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "Is someone giving birth?"  
_Or worse yet…does he plan to use Krystal for that?_ Envy and suspicion filled his heart, but he checked himself, remembering Agatio knew his thoughts.

"No, Mr. McCloud. Unfortunately for you, an explanation would include information which I am not inclined to disclose to any outsiders."  
He began walking towards the end of the walkway, the sound of his sandals echoing off of the tiled ground. "I will, however…tell you something if you answer some questions that may affect the fate of our survivors."

"What might that be?" Fox crossed his arms. He grew even more suspicious of Agatio; what could he be hiding when all they had to worry about was their preservation?

"We witnessed the conversation during which your _newest ally_ analyzed the purpose of our jewels." He lifted a frail hand to point to his own tiara. "Do you recall the conversation?"

Fox grimaced at Lance's mention. "Yes…he said he thought their purpose was to magnify power."

"He was only half correct." Agatio replied quickly. "Something he neglected to tell you was that they also has the potential to alter our abilities. For example, as Krystal may have told you, our powers are grouped into several categories, and once we devote ourselves to one category, we can only focus on that particular set. However…" He lifted a hand to point to the blue vixen.  
"With the aid of an outside force, the nature of our energy can be changed…altered to fit the mold of another ability or skillset. She began her education as an esper…a clairvoyant, an empath, a precog. The list goes on. Ergo, with this new jewel she can…and has done so…tap into an array of telepathic abilities. This would explain her brief connection to your mind and those of your entire team."

"That seems…incredible." Fox didn't fully believe it…or maybe he didn't want to. "Is there a drawback? I mean…wouldn't you guys be the top of the foodchain if that were the case?"

"In order to tap into new skills, another Seer of that type must imprint his or her aura into the user's jewel. The focus and magnitude of the aura determines how greatly the effect will take place." He pulled off his own jewel. "That particular feature was my own innovation, I am proud to say. But a user can only handle so much power…it takes many years to expand one's own capacity; that is time which very few of us have. But those of us who have the time to master our powers…who can handle the massive power and array of abilities…we are the ones who become the powers that be."

"Oh. I think I see now." Fox blinked. "Does that mean that your jewel…"

"Mine contains aurashades of the other six living Seers. Not only is my power needlessly multiplied, it expands into new territory as well." He said this with a strange mix of pride and ferocity, while retaining his silent demeanor. Krystal couldn't track his emotions at all because he was blocking her out. And the best she and Fox could do was guess.  
"Now…do you know why I am telling you all this?"

"Actually…no." Fox shook his head. "I was hoping you would enlighten me."

"As your friend suggested, these jewels are meant to cover our foreheads, wherein lies the focus of our psychic energy. However, this may not _always_ be the case. On occasion, our artisans have crafted instruments that are free of the influence of our bodies' focal points of energy...a stone meant to tap into the power of the world around it. One such stone is the very reason we have come to the Lylat system."

Fox scratched his chin. "Sounds powerful. Is it very big?"

"Is it large? Relatively. I would prefer not to wear it." He chuckled. "But powerful? Heavens, no. But it bestows an enviable ability only one Cerinian in history has yet attained." Agatio's face hardened as he began to speak gravely. "Like me he was able to channel into himself numerous abilities from all sorts of Seers. Alas…he was the greatest of all time."

"Lord Daemon." Krystal breathed.

"Lord Daemon?" Fox repeated, trying to figure out which gem for which he had been named.

"A wise old Owl who died in the forgery of this tool. Wisest man of his time…closest of all mortals to God himself, blasphemous though it may sound." Agatio spoke now with reverence, placing his indigo jewel back on his head. "The Jewel he crafted, which we refer to as the Blood Ruby…" he held out his hands, depicting the alleged size and shape of the mythical item. It evidently stood up to his knees, and was rather wide. "…networks the powers of several Seers…not unlike my own rendition of our jewels…in order to synthesize a new skill: **Creation.**"

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"You're that guy we went stalking earlier." Back on the surface of Corneria, Lance pointed an accusing finger at the man under the hood. As Ursa had pointed out, he was wearing clothing native to the planet, which indicated he was trying to fit in. While that was all very understandable, the fact that he was stalking around as if searching for something…that made everything questionable.

"Lance?! We weren't stalking him…we were just…" Ursa attempted to interpret Lance's comment a different way, lest he incur the wrath of this newcomer.

"Forget it, Ursa, he knew. He's clairvoyant. Aren't you…_Cerinian?_" He lowered his finger and instead raised an eyebrow.

The movement of the racoon's shoulders shook, implying that he was laughing at them. "Aha…Lance Callahan, is it? We've been watching you and Ursa Grylls here. We're particularly impressed with _your_ performance." He removed his hood, revealing a blue furred head with a light blue jewel wrapped around his forehead in the fashion Krystal wore hers.  
"Allow me to introduce myself: I am a Master Esper of the Cerinian Seers…I am Rubio."

_He's got a jewel. Just like Krystal…could the different color mean something?_  
"We? Who is 'we'? And who are you for that matter?"

"We the people. The survivors. The defiant rejects."

"The remaining Cerinians." Ursa confirmed. "But why have you been watching us?"

"Forgive our intrusion. We only watch when we feel necessary. After all, there are only two people capable of watching all you _aberrants_. We can only watch you for so long."

"So I guess you already know…it's not a good idea to get on my bad side."  
It just occurred to Lance how pretentious a statement this was; he was fighting an enemy about whom he knew nothing.

Rubio let it pass and just laughed. "Judging by the way you exterminated Scales, I don't doubt it. Even so…you would do well not to underestimate me."

_h!t…I thought so._  
"I don't suppose that's a threat?" Lance raised an eyebrow, his narrowed eyes searching for signs of Rubio's hostility. "Why do you plan to do us in anyway?"

Ursa's head whipped around to face Lance. "Wait, what? What makes you think he wants to do us in?"

"Oh, I know." Lance frowned. In a narrow space like this, a blaster or his handgun would have been perfect. But if Rubio was a Master Esper, he must also be a precog…if he could foresee every enemy tactic, all he needed were skills in close quarters combat. With that combination, he would be virtually unstoppable…and in such a case, the entire setup would render Lance's firearms useless.  
"I think this is all part of his plan."

Rubio snickered and shrugged. "Looks like you got me all figured out."

"That's right…you foresee the enemy and act on it, don't you? You know every move even before your opponent does. How clever."

Ursa's eyes widened, partially in amazement. "That IS pretty cool."

_But he overlooked one thing. He can foresee all he wants; it's useless if he can't do something against Ursa's strength…especially considering closed spaces is where it matters most. But I'm sure he knew…so he must have a weapon of some sort hidden somewhere…he wouldn't have come unprepared._

"Look at you." Rubio shook his head at Lance. "Just sitting there, assessing the situation…observing, analyzing, scheming. It's so despicable…yet so admirable. And yet I pity you...having to think of everything in the context of warfare." He snorted.  
"Let me tell you something. Our kind has no grudge against yours. We admire you, as a matter of fact. So please…we prefer that you cooperate with us. We'll even let your ursine friend here off the hook."

"His kind?" Ursa frowned. "Why, you can relate to losing your home? Or do you have something against us?"

"You mean aside from the fact that you were the ones who _took_ our home? Oh heavens, no, we have nothing against you Cornerians." Hate filled his voice and his face, and as he lifted his arm to point to the stars, Lance noticed an abnormal distribution of weight. Was he hiding something in his sleeves?

"What??" Ursa raised his voice, insulted at the accusation. "We didn't even know you existed until one of your own came here six months ago. And _that_ was eight years after your world was destroyed! How can you blame this on us?"

"Standing by and letting it happen is equal to committing it directly."

"Oh. OH! I **SEE** now!" barked Ursa, teeth bared. "So now EVERYONE caused your loss, huh? HUH?"

"Uh…Ursa." Lance prodded. "There weren't any Cornerian colonial or military campaigns…were there? Anything that might have caused something like this? Maybe the military had something to do with this? Your precious government, maybe?"

For the first time, Ursa looked genuinely angry at Lance. "Are you **MAD?** We've done nothing of the sort! Eight years ago, we were too busy fighting Andross to go blowing up other people's homes! It's outrageous, it's agregious, it's preposterous!"

_Wait…Eight years ago…that's when everything happened…on both worlds!_ Lance's eyes widened; he just had one of his moments.  
"Oh God, I think I know what happened."

"You see? That dangerous mind of yours." Rubio shook his head again. "Your psychic potential is FAR below average…but our leader has his eye on you. According to him…there's more than just that locked up inside of your mind and soul."

"Wait…does that mean I'm right? You're accusing an entire civilization on the actions of just a few?" There was a long silence, filled only with the heavy breathing of three angry adversaries, all ready to fight.  
"Answer me, goddamnit! Why are you threatened by us? What are you scheming? And why is it so secretive? Are you planning something stupid?"

"I'm done talking." said Rubio, holding his arms up in a crucifix shape. Just as Lance predicted, there were two short swords hidden in the Racoon's sleeves. In an instant, a foot-long blade sprung out of both of Rubio's arms, each one still attached to some apparatus underneath his sleeves.  
"And you're done, period."  
_That protective aura these "Krazoas" gave this guy is gonna be hard to crack. Agatio or Lazu could have dispelled it, but with me…this Lance character is gonna take a lot of pain._

"Lance." Ursa growled. "This guy's type…he just plain sickens me. Let's put him in his place!"

"Well, Ursa, this is a side of you I didn't expect to see." Lance knew full well that the Cornerian footsoldiers were unnecessarily humane, and Ursa had no real intention to kill. Despite the inefficiency, deep inside, he somewhat admired and envied them for that.  
At any rate, it wouldn't hinder their efficiency in Ursa's case.  
He pulled out his blaster. He knew it would be futile, but if he _did_ have to take Rubio hand to hand, he'd drop it like a hot potato.  
"Keep it up. I wanna kick the outta this er."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

The soft, blue glow pervaded the air all throughout the ship. The small particles which emitted the light drifted gently to and fro as if caught on the seat of a perpetual swing. As Falco stepped into the light, unable to see much further beyond the fading border of the glow. His keen eyes scanned the room, and he got the impression he was standing in the middle of a snowglobe.

"Just as always. Another room. Completely empty." He sighed as he strolled over to a window on the far side of the circular room. Looking past, he saw green hills, rolling into the night beyond. Stars lit up the sky, and a silent zephyr caressed the empty landscape. It was all an illusion procured by one of the remaining Cerinian refugees.

"It looks so real. I wonder what would happen if I broke this 'window' open?" He placed a wing on the windowsill, examining the metalwork, his eyes climbing to the top of the design, about 5 yards above his head.

"Pretty fancy." He muttered. Falco glanced around again, as if something had changed. He was disappointed to find that…nothing had changed. Everything was cast in a dreary blue, no matter what it's true color was.

"Well…Mr. Lombardi…so far you've won absolutely nothing!" He held a fist to his beak, implying the presence of a microphone. His voice emulated that of a television announcer.  
"And so…you are faced with another meaningless decision! Will you…" He spun around with exaggerated grace, finding himself kneeling down on one knee, his arm outstretched towards yet _another_ door.

"Door number one??" He pivoted around to behold the next door. "Door number **two??**"

He scratched along the ground to point towards the last door. This one was filled with the same ornate patterns as the one they had encountered when they first entered the ship.

"_**Door number three??**_" He spun his head around, and jerked it towards the door with a large, open-beaked grin.

"Hey…it's the same one as before." He muttered, standing back onto his feet. "Wonder if that must mean…?" He tiptoed over to it, acting like someone would jump out at him at any moment. "Yes, of course! It means we're close to the heart of this mystery!"

He put his hands into the grooves on each door, just as Krystal had done to activate it before. Feathers pressed against the cold, hard stone slabs, nothing happened.

"Waaaah! Bastards! You've ruined everything!" He truly must have been in a totally bored state of mind. All at once, his inherent excitement flooded away, standing there with his head rested quietly against the door.

"……" he sighed heavily, standing there, empty and alone. "Hollow."

His begrudging voice echoed throughout the room. He said it again, once more causing an echo. He turned around with a heavy heart, not knowing what to think or to even feel. Was this what it was truly like to be a loner? He didn't feel lonely…just _empty._ Apathetic. Meaningless.

"You? What are you staring at?" He lifted an arm, curving his spine menacingly. A single finger…or feather, or whatever it was…pointed to a statue sitting on one side of the door. "Are you staring at me? Are you staring at _me??_ What's the matter, never seen a bird before?"

The statue depicted a small, feathered animal of unknown origin. The feathers on its head were ruffled up, and its beak was curved into a wicked hook, so perhaps a bird of prey?  
"Look at you…all high and mighty. You think you're so great, don't you? Well you make me sick!"

This brought no response from the statue. It continued to stare straight ahead with it's subtle, enlightened smile.

"Answer me!" He stepped forward menacingly, his hands gnarled into claws. "Why won't you talk to me?"

Still the stone figure remained silent. Falco gripped its shoulder, raising a fist against it. "Eh? How does that sound, yeah? How does that sound?" He snickered and let go of the sculpture.

"Don't like how I live, do ya? Don't like how I do my own damned business? Yeah…yeah, who do you think you are?"

He stood there silently, a forward stance planted, ready for an attack. Fists at his side, he waited for a full minute, the only sound piercing the dead quiet being his own breath.

He muttered: "Does it have to be this way? What are we, anyway?" his feathered hand found its way to the statue's shoulder.  
"Are we alive, Boss? What's the point of everything? Do we even have a purpose here? There is only nothingness."

Falco knew nothing of the words that were coming out of his mouth. He was only speaking whatever came across his mind. "Sorry, Boss. I guess I just got carried away."

The stone bird only smiled. Just as it always had. It's silence spoke more than Falco could ever say.  
"Stop looking at me like that! I said stop it! I hate it when you do that!"

When the statue didn't respond, Falco ran over to pull a banner off the wall and sling it over the head of the statue in an attempt to block its stare.

"And you! What do you want? This is none of your damn business!" He turned around. There was another bird statue on the other side of the door, and he covered that one as well.

"All of you…I can't stand it. Just leave me alone…stop accusing me…just leave me alone…" He stepped back, watching the stone statues where they stood. They were visible up to their shoulders, where their heads had been covered with a soft cloth. Their hands were formed into meditative states, and remained as such even though their eyes had been covered.

"Yes…this is what I want…just leave me be." He sat down there on the hard ground, resting an arm on his knee. He continued to ramble to himself, but his voice was so inaudible that no one else could have physically heard him.

_Hm…what a sad little thing._ Falco didn't know, but up on a balcony above the large door, a watcher stood there observing the avian's actions.  
_He's not insane…that's for sure. But why does he act this way?_

The shady figure leaned over the railing curiously, arms still fastened at the side. _Perhaps we should delve into the depths of his mind to find out…is he lonely? Is he troubled? He has friends who care for him…the worst he has to contend with is boredom. What a strange fellow._

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

_Oh…I hate this place!_ Elsewhere on the ship lingered a stout, amphibious mechanic. The poor guy just wasn't cut out for this kind of thing…

_This just gives me the creeps…what's going on? If these people wanted to see us so badly, why are they hiding from us?_  
"H-Hello?" Slippy cupped his hands around his mouth and called out into the darkness. His voice only echoed through the corridors and all around him, bouncing back many times before finally fading away. The voice still rang in his ears.

He whined again as he inched along the ground. A soft, blue carpet stretched along the length of the hallway, its domed ceiling reaching high above his head. Every ten feet, stone statues of varying species occupied crevices in the walls in sets. He crossed two owls facing one another, two lizards, two penguin-esque statues, and two oxen. The statues continued all the way to the next junction.

He reached this intersection, stopping at a wall. He now had a choice of moving left or right, either path reaching further into the abyss. Only an immediate radius around him illuminated the lifeless walls.

_Which to choose…which to choose…_ he hopped up and down on his feet and crouched over to hug himself. It was unnaturally warm, but he couldn't help but shiver.

He yelped out and shrunk to the floor in sudden fright, when he heard a sound that was not his own. It came from the bowels of the path on the left side.  
He wasn't fully sure…but it sounded like something of a clanging sound, like a collision between two hollow, metal poles.

"Who's there?" His voice cracked and trembled as he struggled to call out to the source of the sound.

There was no response, but he heard quick footsteps moving rapidly away from him.

"Huh?" He suddenly realized that he was in no danger. Whatever happened clearly showed him that whoever ran away was just as afraid of him as he was of it. "Aw…"  
Still trembling, he stood to his feet to go hobble after whoever had run off. Upon reaching another junction, he glanced around, taking off and emerging into the next. The footsteps became audible once again, and the frog took off as fast as his stubby little legs could carry him.

"Wait! Don't run!" The statues passed him as he zoomed by, those empty faces disappearing with the light. "We've come so far just to see you guys!"

The frog began slowing down, gasping for air after a much-needed sprint. He bent over, hands rested on his knees, huffing and puffing for air.  
"Man…who-whoever this guy is, he must really not wanna be seen."

After catching his breath, Slippy took a moment to appreciate the scenery. "You know," he began, "at first this place kinda scared me. Now that I've had to run after someone who acts like he's afraid of me, I just realized that it's not so scary."

Slippy spoke out to the target of his pursuit. He knew he was there listening, but there was no response.

"This all must be even worse for you. You missed it so much that you even had to redesign this refugee ship to fit your own world. And now that I think of it, maybe that's why you've been so secretive all this time. I don't know how hard that must be."  
Silence. But the frog just knew that his words hit home.

Only the sounds of Slippy's heavy breathing echoed throughout the deserted bowels of the ship, but after his speech he finally got a response. "Come." The voice said. It was warm and soft, and sounded like it should have been jolly and upbeat.  
"There is much yet to show you."


	17. Chapter 17: A Duel With Fate

Chapter 17: A Duel With Fate

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Wave after wave of attack persisted, weaving in and out with expert timing and deadly precision. Two deadly blades spun in the racoon's grip as he lashed out one attack after the other.  
If Lance were any slower, he would have been killed a long time ago. Rubio made sure to keep the human on his toes, not giving him any time to retaliate.

_Shit! I can't keep this up forever!_ He ducked to the ground, avoiding a swift, horizontal slash, and had to spin off to the side to avoid the following thrust.

"Face it, human!" Rubio crossed one sword across his face, the other ready at his side. "I'm wearing you thin! Not even you can win against us!"

"Heh…I've heard that before." Lance's shoulders heaved up and down. Rubio was cool and relaxed, but Lance risked a lot more energy keeping his guard up.  
And where was Ursa? At the start of the fight, the Cerinian had led them into the interior of the building inside the wall of the confined alleyway. The structure was either abandoned or under construction. Somewhere along the line, he had kicked the human through a crevice into an inaccessible room.

He was playing a deadly game of divide and conquer. Soon as he was through with Lance, he could focus on Ursa instead of bother with both of them.

"How can you expect to win?" He lunged with a speed Lance could only hope to rival. He set up for a horizontal slash with the blade closest to his opponent. But when Lance moved off to the side, he foresaw the maneuver and instead attacked with the other blade. It barely grazed the human's ribcage. Cloth and flesh opened up as a clean cut revealed itself on his side.

"!!" Lance fell and rolled under a table while clutching his side. As Rubio advanced, the urban soldier lifted up the table and chucked it towards his enemy. As usual, Rubio moved like smoke around the attack and threw another volley of cuts and thrusts.

_What can I do? I have to find something that he won't be able to avoid…no matter how far ahead he sees!_

"Nuh-uh." Rubio raised an eyebrow briefly. "Not gonna work now."  
Lance leaped through a hole in the wall, left open thanks to a missing panel. His pursuer followed shortly behind.

The Racoon's vision pulsated; for a brief moment, the entire world went black and white, a sudden vision shooting through his mind: _a plank of constructive material slammed against his backside, propelled by various spools and wires of constructive tools, sending him up against the wall._

"It might have worked, except…you know. Haha…" Rubio slashed both swords horizontally, both parallel with one another. Lance moved out of range, just barely enough to get off with a cut in both his chest and midsection. By now his entire jacket had been slashed and torn to hell, and it was hindering his movement.

_Can't get in close…I could try to shank the guy, but it's too risky. Gotta get rid of those swords somehow…but how?_

He rolled again, sustaining another averted thrust to the shoulder.  
_Even if Ursa were here…this guy would cut him down with those swords of his, wouldn't he? I gotta do something._

Lance leaped to his feet as quickly as he could, the blood-stained tip of Rubio's blade cutting into his clavicle. Leaping down a small flight of stairs, he grunted and rounded a corner. Footsteps pounding behind him, he saw an empty doorframe, shot through and veered around and into another adjacent room.

"You can't run forever, Lance Callahan!" The voice seemed to be further away than before.  
_He can't run as fast with those swords of his. Guess that gives me some kind of advantage…_ He came barrelling into another hallway, this one with a locked, solid door at the end. He wouldn't be able to barge through it, but there was a glass window at the top, and a steel pipe just above. In the wall on the right side, another missing panel created a hole in the wall, pale light filtering through. _Okay…how do I get past this one? Wait…footsteps._

Rubio's blades lashed through the hole; he had found a shortcut to his victim with his clairvoyance. Lance jumped and kicked off the opposing wall without loosing any speed, avoiding Rubio's attack completely. By now, he could at least predict _when_ his unwanted visitor would strike.

_All or nothing!!_ At about two yards away from his dead end, he made a huge leap of faith, kicking off the same wall in which the door was framed. This kick with his momentum towards the corner forced him into the wall Rubio had emerged from, and he pushed a second time, grabbing hold of the steel pipe and effectively kicking through the window and into the next room. He landed with a graceless thud and ended up on his backside.

He coughed, spitting out blood as he finally found some time to gather his thoughts. Swift as Rubio was, he wasn't a freerunner and wouldn't likely go for a jump like that. Nor could he simply cut through the door.

The vicious esper merely cursed and retraced his steps in order to find a way around. _This guy should be dead by now. The entire fight I've had visions of his death…why have none of them come true?_

The footsteps faded away, and Lance readily stood up, surveying the room for anything he could use. He haphazardly picked up a wheel-shaped object, wire wrapped around the outer edges. Two threads of the wire connected to another spool, which he picked up as well. There seemed to be some heavy tension between the two, caused by a spring loaded function, by the look of it.  
_So how the hell does this thing work? Here's a hook…there's a lot of strong gears right around here…so it must be used as a crane or something._

As soon as he heard Rubio coming around another path, he bolted around to the opposite side,  
_I can't see the future…but I can trace his movements. Just as he acts on a vision, I see that motion and in turn act on it. I think I get it now. Maybe I can just overwhelm him? Then again…if that's too risky, I should reunite with Ursa. He divided us for a reason…maybe he can't handle two at once?_

He ran throught the abandoned depths if this phantom of a building, avoiding those terrible footsteps as best he could. As he rounded another corner, he immediately recognized the area as one he had passed before; he was running in circles at the moment.  
_Good. Now all I need is another one of these doohickeys and a closed off hallway._

"Lance! Where are you, buddy?" A familiar voice called out from a room beyond. It was Ursa. Finally, he had arrived.

"Ursa! Stay where you are!" Lance yelled back. "This bastard's right on my ass!"

There was no response. The three of them were all equidistant from one another, with Lance between them, so there was no risk in the Seer getting to Ursa before him.  
He finally did arrive, having lost all signs of Rubio's pursuit. "Where ya been?? I heard you guys stomping around, but I couldn't ever find you!" The huge bear gesticulated madly.  
"Holy…!! Look at all that blood! Are you gonna be okay?!"

"Pick up something you can use as a shield. I know how to beat this guy."

"Uh…?" Ursa raised an eyebrow as he stomped over to pick up what appeared to be a drill. Meanwhile, Lance had his ear against the ground again, listening for Rubio. No sign…for now, at least. "Are you sure this is gonna work?"

"Have some faith in me, Ursa. I think I know how this all works now."

"Hm? How is that?"

"We've gotta get him in a closed space. Don't give him any room to dodge, first off."

"That didn't work before." Ursa picked up a fallen wall panel. It was heavy, metallic, and a perfect piece of armor. "That was even part of his tactic, wasn't it?"

"This time, we'll have the upper hand." He looked around, trying to survey his surroundings. "With that thing and your size, there's no way he'll be able to dodge. If we can get him in a narrow space, where your sheer strength matters most, he won't be able to do shit. And if I'm not mistaken…I don't think a sword can cut through a huge hunk of metal like that."

"Maybe he sees us plotting right now."

"Won't matter. He doesn't know how to handle two people at once, so we gotta go find that little punk and beat his ass down."

"What? But if he seperated us before, what makes you think he won't just do it again?" He waved his arms around while Lance kicked the door into the hallway open. No one was there, and the only other exit was a doorframe on the other side of the hall.

"I've figured out how he thinks. His visions change, which means the future isn't written in stone. If we can overwhelm him, we'll blind him. He won't know what's going on, and the best way to start is to go two on one."

"Seems dishonorable…"

"It's life or death. There _is_ no dishonor, Ursa." He thought for a moment, and noticed that Rubio hadn't attacked them yet. If he avoided them altogether, then they wouldn't be able to tackle him. Then again…it also meant they had a good chance at escape.

But if they _did_ try to escape, Rubio would surely corner them and cut them down, taking away their hope of closing him in. They could always leave through a window, but Ursa's size could only cause problems if such an attempt was made.

"Is he planning on waiting for us? The bastard…" Lance clenched his fist.

"I think you should also pick one of these up. You also look a lot stronger than he is, so just to be safe…" Ursa handed him a smaller panel. It was comparably smaller, but it should fit nicely.

"Guess we have no choice, eh?" Lance sighed. "Alright, let's go."  
They moved carefully down the hallway, back to back. Ursa kicked open the door and cautiously looked around to ensure that their enemy was no where to be found.

"Coast is clear. Let's…WHOA!" They entered a large room, suggestive of a study, and as luck would have it their old acquaintance began dashing around their defenses, stabbing and slashing once more.

"Heh…I heard every word. You're wrong, human…it **does** matter if I can hear every word you're saying."

"Ursa!" Lance yelled, taking several slashes to the shield. He continued his battle of reflex vs. foresight.

"I'm on it!" Ursa maneuvered around Lance, delivering a few attacks of his own. Rubio could only hope to step away and dodge Ursa.

_This isn't right…I seem to have made a slight misjudgment…now let's see what they have in their future._ His teeth gritted as he struggled to keep up with the two. _Damn…! This is all there is! They're going to continue attacking! While I was too busy trying to avoid their strategy, I neglected to try and separate them again! I can't keep up with this!_

Wave after wave of attack persisted, weaving in and out with expert timing and deadly precision. Two shields spun in the human and the bear's grips as they lashed out one attack after the other. This time…the tables had turned. As stated earlier…what was the point of seeing the future if one couldn't act on it?  
_I thought my training was enough! If I were just a bit more fit…just a bit more skilled…maybe they would be dead by now! I thought the basic knowledge of hand to hand combat would be sufficient with my precognition…but I have made a grave mistake._

Rubio turned heel and ran, swords still in hand. He exited a door and into the same hallway in which his two enemies had conspired against him before. He was trying to turn the tides…

"Not gonna happen! Ursa, tackle that bastard!"

"With pleasure." Ursa sneered, rushing full speed into the narrow pathway. Rubio was waiting at the far end, and charged as well. Soon, he jumped upwards in a desperate attempt to pass over Ursa's shield and hit him from above. His hopes were shattered, when Ursa jumped up to meet him, raising his own weapon to bash him hard in the face.  
As he fell back to the hard ground, Rubio dropped both of his swords. Lying on the ground, Rubio was left completely open for Ursa to lay the smackdown on him.

"Ursa! He's yours!" Lance dashed to seize the two blades and do away with them, while Ursa was left to crush the enemy…now at a huge disadvantage.

"Well, well, my little, blue friend…this is what we would call 'Checkmate!'"

Rubio gritted his teeth, scrambling back on the ground. He stood up and tried to strike a good stance; but it was useless. Ursa was also far more skilled than the Racoon, having once been one of Corneria's special ops, and combined with size, there was indeed nothing Rubio could have done to save himself. All visions ended in a very painful defeat.

"Seems I misjudged you two." He lowered his guard and ran away to God knows where.

"Jesus…" Lance heaved. He dropped the two swords with a loud clank, and fell straight onto his back, blood still seeping out of his wounds. "That was…that was intense."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Krystal knew they were coming." Lance muttered. "She was so excited about their arrival…but then this shrimp comes out of nowhere trying to kill us."

"Seems very unseemly." Ursa agreed. "You'd expect that they would want a new home, but they would only be exiled with this kind of attitude. I wonder what their grudge is against Corneria?"  
He sighed, and then perked his ears almost without hesitation.

"Wait, didn't you say before you had it all figured out?"

"It's just a theory…but think of another Cornerian who would have done something like they claim. A certain exile? A rogue?"

"You mean…Andross?"

"His influence seems to be everywhere." Lance snorted. "Makes me wonder who the hell is in charge of guarding him. Shoulda just gunned his ass down…now someone in Star Fox told me that they have to clean up all his bio-weapons. Then just recently, he appeared on Sauria. Seems like a load of hogwash to me, but if it's true, I think his legacy would be all over the place."

"Hm…seems like the consequences to his actions _have_ caused a lot of conflict. Did you hear about the recent earthquakes on Macbeth? That was caused by one of his auto-run bases, still operational."

"We have to clean up after him. Otherwise his curse is going to plague everyone. We should start by letting the Cerinians, Fox and the others about this."

"Then we'll call the team up as soon as we get back." Ursa said, decisively nodding his head.

A long silence passed, occupied only by the sound of heavy feet. "You know what, Ursa?"

"Hm? What is it, Lance?

"That was the first time in five years." He hesitated. "Well…53 years, to be exact, but let's not be technical."

"What…is that the last time someone chased you down with a sword?" Ursa was holding up one of Lance's arms awkwardly, his other hand supporting his opposite shoulder. The human was too exhausted to walk on his own, but luckily he hadn't lost most of his blood. Most of the cuts were superficial, and the ones that bled profusely had begun to clot and cease most of the loss.

"It was the last time I lost a fight."

"Huh? But we kicked his tail!" Ursa raised a bear claw excitedly. "What makes you think you lost?"

"Because I was the worse fighter." Silence pervaded the night, gentle moonlight shining from above.

"Um…what do you mean? If it weren't for you we'd have lost!"

"You're wrong. I didn't come up with any clever tactics or strategies to beat him…not like it was with Scales. The best I could come up with was 'pick up a shield.' I may have figured out how he wins, but that doesn't mean anything." He gazed towards his feet, as if to think his shoes would answer him.  
"All I was able to accomplish was delay the inevitable. If you hadn't found me, I'd be mincemeat right now. All I could do was avoid him. In the end…it was your strength"

"Lance, I think it was teamwork that won this fight." Said Ursa suddenly. "My size may have been key, but without your guidance this victory would have been impossible. Don't talk yourself down like that."

"I'm not being emo or anything. I'm stating a fact." He sighed heavily. "I guess this fight was just a wake up call…a reminder that I'm not immortal. It's been a while since I last felt this helpless."

"So…five years you say?" Ursa whistled. "That's quite a record there, considering all the fights you say you've been in."

"Actually...that's not true. I lost on Krazoa palace shortly after beating Scales." He gritted his teeth. "I still have no clue what happened...but I died. Or so I thought...it was like something forcefully brought me back."  
He didn't quite want to admit it, but he _had_ died. Four spirits brought him back to life, and they left behind an aura to protect him. Perhaps that was why he was still alive after his confrontation with Rubio, and it would be a good long while before he found the answers.

Lance muttered something inaudible. His lips moved and sound came out, but it was unclear.

"Uh…excuse me?" Ursa raised an eyebrow and lowered his head to hear.

"I have to adapt." Lance repeated. "This place…the Lylat system. It's so full of new enemies and new situations…it's unreal. Back home we didn't have all these blasters and reflectors and smart bombs…and even psychics now. Not this powerful, at least."

"……" Ursa had no response.

"I have to adapt to this new world…I have to find a new way of warfare. I got lucky back at the Krazoa palace…but now I have to move on. Guns, knives and my fists alone aren't going to cut it anymore."

"So what do you plan to do? I could show you a thing or two." Ursa nodded. In this day and age, most fights took place in space or in the air. All footsoldiers were considered special ops. Luckily, Ursa was very knowledgeable on the subject.  
"You know…having been universally trained for ground warfare."

"That would be great. But there's also something else." Lance stopped for a moment and looked up to the moon. "That warfare of yours may come in handy…but for now we aren't fighting Venom or other Cornerians. We're fighting against mysticism.

"Cerinians. An enemy who can't be deceived…and what that racoon said about the others, I guess they've got a lot of tactical advantages, too. We can't engage in another close quarters fight…so I'll just have to find something they can't manipulate…something I can use and they can't. And I think I've got just the thing."

He put his hand on his chin, thinking for several moments.

"Oh? And what do you have in mind."

Lance grinned. "Ursa, I need you to help me find as much data you can on _acoustics._"


	18. Chapter 18: In the Lion's Den

Chapter 18: In the Lion's Den

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"So what exactly is Master Agatio telling them?" A deep, harsh voice ran through the darkness. Three forms stood converged on various points of a heptagram.  
The current speaker was none other than the psychokinetic Seer known as Onyx, sporting his vermillion jewel on his forehead. Unlike the others, his was embedded into his flesh rather than supported by a circlet.

"So far he's lying to them. Luckily for us the _traitor_ is too inexperienced to sense it." Spat Azure, the telepath of the group, and the other Racoon. She overemphasized certain words, giving her a malicious tone. The green shine on her jewel disappeared as she opened her eyes.  
"Right now they think the Blood Ruby can surpass the law of conservation."

Onyx laughed out loud, long and heartily. "What a tall tale! The Cornerian vulpine believes that salvation will come to us for free! What a joke…"

"Don't laugh just yet, Onyx." A cocky, careless voice responded to him. This one was Topius, a male blue fox of unknown power. His yellow jewel pulsated with a soft glow. "Just think of the pain little Miss Krystal will go through once she discovers this is all a lie."

Azure snorted in contempt. "That would be more than that traitor deserves. That smarmy little brat…while her parents allowed the destruction of our beautiful Cerinia, she dares to eke out a living for herself. I can't wait to _twist her concealed memories and reveal the monster she truly is._"

"You enjoy doing that, don't you?" A terrible, jagged grin peeled across the bear's blue face. "I don't blame you. What a dreadfully mischievous talent possession must be!"

Azure giggled, in a both spiteful yet alluring manner. "I only regret that I won't be able to see the final look on those Cornerians faces once we perform the transfer. It'll be priceless."

"So what exactly _does_ the Blood Ruby do? Being the only non-Seer, you can't blame my ignorance." Topius turned to the Racoon.

"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot how Agatio left you in the dark until just recently." Onyx shrugged and cleared his throat. "You see, my young friend…the Blood Ruby, contrary to the legends, is not some mere catalyst that can multiply a psychic's power a hundred fold. And neither does it enable us to defy the natural order. Instead, it's more of a vessel."

"A vessel, you say?"

"I think Azure can describe it more clearly from here on out. Azure?" The bear turned nonchalantly to the telepath, who crossed her arms and tilted her hips before beginning.

"It's a means for eternal life. Even though it may be an incomplete device, it can absorb souls of the deceased before they reach the afterlife."

"Ah…so the legends weren't altogether inaccurate."

"Not fully. However…such a task doesn't come for free. Why do you think we only have half the souls of all survivors?"

"Would you care to enlighten me?"

Onyx spoke up this time. "To convert a living soul into a tangible material, compatible with the Blood Ruby, an equal sacrifice is required. A life for a life…in order to salvage the entire race of Cerinians, we had to give up half, so that the other half could survive. If we hadn't done that, that _filthy ape_ would have destroyed us **all** on the way out."

"In other words, even as we speak the Blood Ruby holds millions of Cerinian lives…just waiting to be released." Azure sighed heavily. "You know the giant crystal in the ballroom? That's the Blood Ruby."

"So if we already have it, why is Agatio requesting McCloud's help?"

"While we may have the Blood Ruby, that is only half of the resources we need. Reversing the process requires the Ruby's counterpart…that's the item that we need to find here in this system. Without one, the other is useless."

"You see, Topius, there are two Blood Rubies." Onyx opened his palm up in angst. "If that _ape_ hadn't stolen the other Ruby and misused its power…only to die another eight years later…we would never have had to sacrifice so many lives in order to survive."

"So what exactly does this one do?"

"On it's own, it does the exact same as the one we possess. However…with both of them, we can manipulate life as we so please. The two stones are two halves to the same coin, and together they govern the very essence life itself. As you know, the two Blood Rubies were our only escape from his wrath on our planet. If we had them, we would have ascended to the astral plane and returned to the physical world as soon as he died away."

"Wouldn't he have stolen them even if we had done that? That is to say…wouldn't the stones be vulnerable if we were away in Astral form?"

"The very essence of the ruby lives on in all of its captive spirits." Said Azure. "A select few, like yourself, possess an aura capable of using it even in astral form. You are one of them."

"I see. So without the other Ruby it would all be futile."

"Once we have the other one, we will be able to bring the rest back to life and erase the Cornerians from the mortal plane."

"Why not just sacrifice lives again? It might be a good way to weaken the Cornerians before resurrecting our citizens."

"It's not that simple." Onyx objected. "Reversing the process is almost the equivalent to creating a soul; the only way is to find the other half of the Blood Ruby. The two are equal but opposite artifacts...it follows the theory of duality."

"Then how did Andross come back to life? If he used his half of the Ruby…wouldn't he…"

"His case was special. He channeled all six of those Krazoa spirits so he could live. If it took six spirits to revive him, and four spirits to keep that little human alive, their power is too insufficient for us to use."

"So what makes us think that the stone is in this system?"

Azure flipped her hair back, careful not to fling away her tiara. "It was last seen in his possession, no? If so…it must surely be here after his death."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Finally out of a labyrinth of halls and junctions, Slippy found himself standing in open air, eyes ascending to a sea of stars scattered across the space where the ceiling should be. He had emerged from the massive, empty doorway into the middle of an expanse of nature and greenery. Several yards away, a crystal clear spring flowed through the valley, swerving in and out of the hills and into the distance and into the lunar sentinel in the sky. Somewhere in another direction, a rectangular plateau of stone steeped from the soil and towards the sky. He could faintly make out three figures standing on the structure.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a fatherly voice awed behind the frog.

Slippy almost expected the voice behind him, and turned calmly to face him; a blue, feline creature about his same height and build. He was short and stout, half fat and muscle.

"It's our homeworld. Or at least…what it should look like." The cat waddled forward to peer down at himself in the stream. Several minows glided by, and the frog's reflection rose into view as Slippy walked next to the Cerinian.

"It _is_ nice! It looks like Corneria at night." His reflection turned to gaze at something beyond the seer. "Except for the extra moon, that is…and that purple glow."

The feline chuckled. He couldn't have been any younger than Peppy. "My name is Lazu. I'm one of the seers, and eight survivors of the Cerinian race. It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Slippy Toad."

"Eh? Just eight of you?" Slippy nearly jumped at the surprise. He would have thought there were several hundred at least. If he had known the whole story…

"You know one of them. Then there would be the seven of us who stuck together." He scratched the back of his head, trying to recall something.  
_We were using that poor child because we needed a contact in this system. I wonder if I can tell him that? With such a nimble mind as his own, he's sure to wonder such things._

"We were lucky to find Krystal in this system." He said, hoping to eliminate any doubt. "If she escaped without our notice, there are bound to be more refugees somewhere in the galaxy."

"Really? That's great news!" Slippy leaped into the air, waving his arms. "Oooooh! This is so exciting! You guys are going to love it here in the Lylat system!"

Slippy continued babbling to himself while the cat smiled and watched.  
_Yes…in the Lylat system. This place seems very…very familiar._  
His gaze turned to the ground, moody and thoughtful.  
_She found a home among them…why can we not do so as well? I wish we could coexist with them…but it will not be possible._

"Hey!" Slippy shouted at once. "You're a seer, right? That means you must have all of Krystal's powers!"

The cat folded his arms and tried to explain to Slippy with a smile. "Ah, how to put this…it isn't that simple. Krystal can perceive things with her mind, but each seer takes on a different set of powers, depending on how he or she develops his or her aura."

"So what can you do, then?" Slippy held his hands together in anticipation. "I bet it's something really cool, right? Can you move stuff with your mind?"

"I think it would be best to show you." Lazu lifted his arms parallel to the ground, pointing off in both directions. As he closed his eyes and waved his arms in graceful, circular motions, Slippy felt the air around him begin to shift from cold to warm and back again, growing more extreme with each change. Soon, Lazu's movements changed, as the paths of his hands came together. A powerful spiral of wind exploded from where the cat stood. In the grass, concentric rings of shadow expanded across the plains, revealing the grass's movement, displaying the power Lazu held.

The cat folded his hands again, exhaling heavily. "Energy manipulation. You'd be amazed what one can come up with using a power like that."

"You just generated winds! That's amazing!" Slippy had been knocked onto his posterior. In his zeal, he heaved himself to his feat to continue wondering at his newfound friend. "Wait wait wait….lemme figure it out. You transferred energy to create a change in air temperature. Doing that…you drew the hot and cold air together to form that wind! I wonder if I can apply that to some new weaponry?"

"My, you're a curious one, aren't you?" Lazu grinned again. "My friends can be arrogant sometimes. So this really is a nice encounter, you know."

Slippy's eyes widened. "Really? Then you get the same treatment I do!"

Lazu pointed to him. "You feel underappreciated? The tortured genius?"

Slippy pointed back. "Always the butt of a bad joke?"

Knee slapping ensued as the two of them laughed out loud. Lazu wiped his eye and put a hand on Slippy's shoulder.  
"Looks like we're a lot alike, aren't we?"

"Looks like it!" Slippy nodded cheerfully. "Hey, why did you run in the first place? Seems like you guys have been doing that ever since we first figured out you guys still even existed."

"It's our leader." Lazu shook his head. "He is utterly convinced that you Cornerians are our…well, he believes you are very unlike us. After so many years, we have steadily grown distrustful of everyone outside our own race."

"I see." Slippy's gaze lowered to his feet.  
_It's just like Lance said._

"Hey, let's go meet up with the others. Now that I've seen another real Cerinian face to face like this, I think the others should know about you guys!"

"I should call up the others, then. The best thing to do now would be for everyone to get acquainted and decide our next course of action."

"Yeah! I bet Krystal would be thrilled, too!"

Lazu's eye and whisker twitched at her mention. He struggled to keep a consistent face. "Y-yes. She should be thrilled as well…won't she?"

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"You there."

Falco jumped in surprise, spinning around to face the source of the voice. How embarrassing that someone would hear all of that…

"Who's there?!" He roared. "Show yourself!"

"You're Falco Lombardi, aren't you? This is a side of you they never talked about."

Falco backed up and looked up above the door. A balcony jutted out from the wall, but because of the awkward lighting, he couldn't tell who or what stood there.

"Who wants to know?"

A lithe, feminine figure landed into a crouch several yards away from him. She spoke in a tempting voice that could melt the coldest of any heart. "They always said that you were incapable of feeling any remorse or sadness. I would have expected it, too, given your sinful past."

"What? How much do you people know?" He scowled and pointed a feather in her direction. A tail flicked back and forth, out from under her cloak. "What makes you people think you can just look into our lives like that?"

"Because we can." She purred, finally standing up. A small snout sat just under the shadow of her hood. "Because you can't be trusted to tell us yourselves. If we hadn't, we might not be prepared to deal with _your_ type."

"What do you know about me? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with, here?" Falco tilted his head, shifting from foot to foot. The very way he moved could only be described as arrogant.

"Rogues have no right to live. We've learned that from experience." A jagged, toothy smile shone under the hood as she strolled over to him.  
"Is it possible to rewrite the past? Maybe it's just irrelevant if you have no will to change. Isn't that right, Mr. Lombardi?"

He narrowed his eyes, planted in his own spot. "You're just rambling. You have no idea what you're saying, you dumb broad."

"Say what you will. I personally think you're weak on the inside."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" He raised his voice threateningly. "I helped save an entire goddamn system twice in a single decade. Who are you to point the finger?"

"Was that your intention?"

"What does it matter?"

"You were in it for the action. You never cared for the system…you've only ever cared for yourself, you pitiful little man."

"I've had just about enough of this!"

"But somewhere inside, you still yearn for belonging."  
Falco loosened up upon hearing this. It seems that her words had struck home.

"Well, it looks like I pushed just the right button, didn't I?" The Cerinian tilted her head and hips, crossing her arms. "Why is it that if you want to 'return home,' so to speak, you never open up? It's a simple, age-old conflict between pride and love. How fruitless a struggle."

Falco's eye twitched. "Think you've gotten everything figured out, don't you?"

"That's why people resort to crime, isn't it?" She giggled. Her laugh was soft and playful, but at the same time heartless and sinister. "Your family never cared, so you found a new one in a band of criminals. Haha…"

Falco remained silent, curious to see exactly how much she _did_ know.

"No response? Do you even regret your deeds?"

"I made up for it with my service. Why else would the military decide not to pursue me as a criminal?"

"I heard your service was only a rumor. It would also explain how you gained all those professional skills."

"Yeah. I redeemed myself." He turned his back on her, holding up a hand in somewhat of a half shrugging gesture. "So get off my back, will ya? My slate's clean."

"Did it also make up for your eight years of abandonment? Would you mind explaining what you did in that time?"

Falco's eyes widened and he glanced over his shoulder. She had disappeared, but she continued to speak. "You returned to your old ways, didn't you?"

"Old ways?" He repeated. "I was tying up loose ends!"

"Spin it any way you like. The fact remains that you're just a little worm on the inside. You can't change, you can't be selfless, you're too prideful, the list goes on. Is that why you can't hold a relationship?"

"That's none of your damn business!!"

"Easy to hate what you can't have, isn't that right?"

He whirled, wildly searching the room to find his accuser. She was standing directly behind him, cloak and all. What he saw, though, was too much for him.

"What's this?" He took several steps back from the Seer. Or was she one? He had expected to see a blue-furred animal of whatever variety, but instead he saw a black cat with a spot of white directly over her face, free of any Cerinian circlet or any jewelry for that matter. Fierce, blue eyes glared back at the avian.  
Katt Monroe.

"Does this surprise you?" Even her voice had changed to fit the image. Her body language was her own; she didn't try to imitate Katt's manerisms.  
"It's a familiar face, isn't it? I really thought you'd be happy. Heehee…" She laughed cruelly at Falco.

"You…you're not Katt."

"An astute observation! No, I'm not Katt. But to make a point, I think this is a very fitting form, don't you agree?" She craned forward to sneer in his face, placing a hand on her chest.  
"Let's see…what were her words, again? Oh, that's right:" She cleared her throat, and imitated Katt in oration and body language. "_Falco! Don't you trust me?_"

"Shut up! Shut your mouth right now!"

"_Falco, If you ever need someone there…I'll always be waiting for you._" She ceased her impersonations, and began her cackling once more.

"What a worthless gesture! She gave her heart to a nobody! Hahahaha!!" The black fur melted away, revealing the blue expected of a Cerinian. Still a cat, a dark blue jewel of a matching color adorned her forehead. She stopped laughing almost immediately, falling into a hateful scowl.  
"You're pathetic, Falco Lombardi. Full of false pride and misguidance. You avoid love that others would kill for, people like me…who have nothing to look forward to. You really need to straighten out your life."

"I don't care if you're a girl! I'll beat your face in if you say another word!"

"Go ahead. Soldier or gangster, I'm still superior to you."

Falco lunged forward, swinging a swift fist towards that arrogant, feline face. The punch never made contact, throwing him off balance more than he could compensate for. In his awkward state, the feline Seer rushed back into position.  
"Hn…this worthless child can't even compensate for physical strength." She calmly but quickly placed a hand on his chest. He felt his entire ribcage pulsate as he dropped to the ground, physically unable to utter another word.

"You're worthless. Take my advice and 'tie up loose ends' while you still can."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

White light cascaded into a safer vessel, outside the reaches of the Venomian battleship. The Great Fox stood by, awaiting a response from the crew members. Of course, it had been at least an hour, so a minor checkup should be in order.  
Keyboards flashed and beeped as two ancient hands sped across the panel, typing up code and commands.

"Well, what now, ROB, hm?" Peppy scratched the top of his head between his two sagging ears. "It's been about an hour, without any more response from the team."

He sat back, rocking back and forth in his chair. The monitor in front of him showed that the four of them were still traversing the ship.

"Hm…they're doing fine. Their contacts say they're in one piece, but no one seems to be moving."

"Incoming transmission from Corneria." ROB said suddenly. He waved his arm towards Peppy and pointed to the screen. "Target: Ursa Grylls."

Peppy sighed and shook his head. "It's probably Lance getting into trouble again. I wonder what it is this time…"

The hare hit a button on the console in front of him, and a screen on the far wall opened up to a snug home, a bear sitting in front of the camera.  
Ursa's contact was less advanced, so unlike the Cornerian Armada, his machine didn't send a holograph projector.

"Eh? Where is everyone?" Ursa looked around the room, seeing only Peppy and ROB, the latter of which waved a mechanical arm pleasantly.

"They're off taking a stroll somewhere." Peppy replied nonchalantly.

"Oh. Well…in that case, I hate to interrupt your little tea party here, but we've got some bad news."

"I'm sure you do." Peppy shrugged. "What did he do this time?"

Lance suddenly came on screen bumping into Ursa. Several superficial cuts occupied his face, and there were plenty such cuts all over his arms. "I nearly got cut to shreds because of one of those fucking Cerinians, that's what!"

Peppy leaped out of his chair, slamming his hands on the console. "What?? Is that what happened?" Maybe he was overreacting, but the sight and accusation far too unexpected.  
"Well…what did you do?"

"We kicked his lilly ass, that's what we did!"

"No…I meant, what did you do to provoke him?"

Ursa was the one to speak up. "Nothing! He just barged in and told us we needed to die."

Lance snorted. "Apparently he's got a grudge against you Cornerians. Said you were the reason Cerinia blew up or something. Said he was only killing me because he was afraid I was gonna help you."

Peppy stared for several moments, shaking his head in confusion. "So let me just get this straight. You claim a Cerinian came to attack you guys…and out of the blue he decides to attack you in the middle of a densely populated city, and now he decides to…"

"He looked like he was looking for something." Ursa interrupted fiercely. "If you ask me they've got some whole plan set up, you know?"

"And the Cerinians just so happened to have gone extinct _eight years ago._" Lance included. "Until now, haven't you ever thought of anything else that happened that time ago?"

Peppy raised an eyebrow. "Well, yes, but I thought it was just coincidence."

"It was Andross." Lance said fiercely. "He's done all kinds of shit, hasn't he? Aside from attacking Corneria, records show he had his hands full with all kinds of stuff."

"Well…it doesn't prove…"

"Yeah!" Ursa yelled at once. "What if he used some wacky Cerinian powers to gain immortality?? That must be how he revived himself!"

"That's enough, you two!!" Peppy yelled at them both. "You're throwing around accusations and jumping to conclusions like a couple of scared children! None of it is going to help. Fox and the others are meeting with the refugees as we speak. None of them have been attacked, so why should I believe he would attack you?"

"Because he doesn't need us." Lance narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, they must need Krystal for something." Ursa shrugged. "Or maybe she's one of them?"

"You're going too far!" Peppy roared, jabbing a finger at the screen. His fur was standing on end. "I don't want to hear another word of this rabid paranoia! Ever since _you_ came here, you've filled everyone you touch with grief and fear!"

"That's a stretch." Lance remained unmoved by Peppy's comment. Ursa shrugged to Peppy; he didn't seem to care either. He found the human enlightening.  
"Listen to logic, Peppy. I'm not asking you to convict anyone, I'm just asking you to keep it in mind."

"It sounds an awful lot like you see them as enemies, eh, Lance?" Peppy held firm. He folded a hand behind his back and pushed up his spectacles with the other.  
"Everyone is an enemy to you. Why is this one any different?"

"Look…this is going nowhere. Can you just put Fox on the line?"

"I'll do no such thing! I refuse to pull the others into your conflict!"

"Mr. Hare, if you won't listen to him," Ursa barged back the the middle of the screen. Lance disappeared. "maybe you'll listen to me. I saw it with my own eyes. Whether or not the rest of them are bad guys isn't the question. And I'm sure Krystal isn't one of them. What I DO know is that this Rubio guy tried to kill the two of us, and he's convinced Corneria is evil."

Peppy sighed and shook his head. "Oh, fine. I'll let Fox know as soon as the four of them get back."

"Do we have your word?" Ursa frowned. "This is a grave matter. If our hunch is right, we can't afford to sit by and do nothing."

"……" Peppy's arms sat behind his back. He turned to glance at ROB, as if the bucket of bolts would give any useful advice. He just waved, as he was programmed to do. Peppy sighed loudly and said at last, "You have my word."

"Good. Please…get on that as soon as you can." Ursa reached up to something above his own monitor, and the screen in the Great Fox went blank.

"Wow…what a trip this is turning out to be." Peppy massaged his temples and fell back to his chair.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Cheeky little bastard." Lance folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "You know the first time I saw him I thought he was a donkey?"

"I guess we're alone on this one." Ursa sat at a console at a desk in his own home, ending the call to the Great Fox. He peered into the circular, two-story living room, where Lance sat on the couch. Surrounded by books and notes, a portable computer sat on the table, projecting images and text in midair.  
"I somehow doubt we'll be seeing Fox again soon."

"You don't think Peppy'll tell him?" Lance scratched his cheek with his ring finger. "Or maybe Krystal just wouldn't want to believe it. She has too much influence on the guy."

"I think they'd be willing to at least listen…but what if they're dead by then? I mean, if they're the only ones who could stop the Cerinians, you think they'll be gone before we contact them?"

"I don't think so." Lance shook his head. "If they had the power or the motives, I think they would have done so by now. It's like what you told Peppy…maybe they need her for something. Psychic or not, they're still mortal and their powers are limited."

"What do you think that would be?"

"Maybe it's whatever Rubio was searching for when we first spotted him."

"Ooooh!!" Ursa ruffled his head with his paws. "It's just one mystery after another! We'll never get anywhere at this rate!"

"That's why we need to go contact Fox and the others. They're bound to know more about this than we do." He scratched his chin and pondered the matter. "But if these blue folk are intent on keeping everything a secret from us, do you think they'd divulge any more to Star Fox?"

"Hard to say." Ursa sighed and reclined in his chair. "Hey…I think I'm gonna call an extra pair of hands to help us out."

"Huh?" Lance narrowed his eyes, tilting his head. "You mean, another friend of yours?"

Ursa smacked a fist into his palm. "Yeah! Falco knows him, too! There's power in numbers, and with three quality fighters like us, we'll be unbeatable!"  
Ursa made a note of it on a paper next to the console in front of him.

"Hey, Ursa. I've been thinking."

"Yeah, you're the type." He responded, still writing.

"_Hirarious._ But seriously…what was your first thought when you learned about the Cerinians?"

"My first thought? What do you mean?" He finished the note, turning to face the human.

"When Krystal first came into the system. When you first learned that she was from an alien race."

Ursa stared at Lance like he was nuts. "Uh…I thought 'wow. We aren't alone in the universe.' And then I thought, 'God, she's hot.'"

Lance ignored the last comment. "You didn't wonder at all how much like Cornerians she looked?"

"Uh…? Oh." Ursa thought. "I guess it never occurred to me."

"Don't you think that's a bit of a coincidence?" Then he thought to himself, _Is it really as big a coincidence as how humans speak the same language as both races?_  
"Maybe you guys have some sort of connection the public isn't aware of?"

"……" Ursa turned in his chair, the backrest agaist his chest. He crossed his arms over it and stared at the ground. "So……if someone does know…assuming they do know…who would we ask?"

"The Military. Or the government."

"What? If they knew, they'd tell us."

"You really think so?"

"Our rulers aren't like you say yours are. Information like that would have been released to the public."

"I think it's worth a try." Lance shrugged. "And if they don't know, I say we get permission to explore Venom."

"_What??_ Are you nuts??"

"Andross for sure knew about them. He's bound to have something waiting for us on Venom."

"Alright…alright…I don't know what you're thinking, but you set us up some appointment or something and we'll get right on that."

"Huh? What makes you think I can do it?"

"First off, you're an alien. When Krystal got here, she got special attention."

"True."

"Second, you saved the system's heroes. So you're in the money!"

"I'll give it a shot." Lance shrugged and stood up. He remembered that, during the assimilation courses he took on Katina, the military had given him several vital contacts. He thought it odd at the time, but at this point he might well believe just about anything.  
"Hey, who's this friend of yours anyway?"

"Tora McLellen. He was with us on Falco's last mission."

"Oh yeah, you still gotta tell me about that story."

"I'll tell you on the way to HQ, if you can set us up that meeting. What do you say to that?"

Lance grinned and nodded. "I say we barrel roll on outta here!"


	19. Chapter 19: Cold War

Chapter 19: Cold War

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Well, it looks like everyone is safe and sound." Fox surveyed the board room, counting everyone who had visited the Cerinians' refugee ship. Footsteps marched along the padded ground as five pilots crowded into the room. Slippy was in a good mood, seated just a few yards away from Fox. Falco stood against the wall, more sullen than usual. Krystal had just sat down a few feet away from Fox. Her expression was blank; her eyes were filled with thought.  
"So let's get this meeting started. I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's a great honor to encounter a new alien race. And I think that, for the sake of our newest member," he motioned over to Krystal, who bowed her head softly, "we should all be on our best behavior. Most of you dream of a life beyond the stars, and few of us are ever graced with an oppurtunity to meet one face to face. We're lucky enough to have met Krystal, and I hope that we come to enjoy the company of others like her…that they can accept Corneria as a new home after nearly a decade, just as Krystal has." He nodded and pushed away from the table.  
It was a small speech, just to break the tension. Even with everyone's approval of his words, something didn't sit well with him…his instincts told him that things weren't going to be as easy as he hoped.

With the closing of this speech, Peppy looked around, waiting if anyone had anything else to say. "Well, if you're all finished, let's get down to business. Now…" He rubbed his hands and picked up a digital notepad off of a perch in the wall. "First things first, guys." Peppy walked around to the opposite side of the table, waving the notepad in the air. As he approached his chair, he tossed the notes to the center of the table, dropping into his own chair with a soft 'plop.'  
"We should start with what you four experienced on that ship. Slippy? You look eager."

Slippy's eyes shone as he leaped out of his chair to try and illustrate his tale. "I met a Seer! A cat! His name was Lazu, and…and…aw, man, it was crazy! He could control the flow of energy, and he even generated wind! Haha…it was nuts!"

Peppy jotted something on the notepad, adjusting his spectacles. "Guess that makes three seers so far. Agatio, Rubio and Lazu. Cosmokinesis, ESP, Energy Manipulation…Lion, Racoon, Feline…"

"Rubio? Who's that?" Falco frowned.

"Uh? No one…just thinking out loud." Peppy responded, still scrawling his notes. "By the way…did you meet anyone on your visit?"

"No!" Falco denied rudely.

"And he's just like me! Everyone on his team makes fun of him and kicks him around, and acts all arrogant around him even though he's a genius. Hey, I guess the Cerinians had some fundamental scientific knowledge, since he seemed to know some of what I was talking about. I mentioned I was a mechanic and that I'd like to apply some of his theories and all that…" Slippy continued rambling.

"Um, Fox." Krystal leaned over to Fox. "Does Slippy really think that about us? That we 'kick him around?'"

Fox shrugged. "This is news to me." Which could only mean that either Slippy was sensitive or the team didn't know his feelings.

"Alright, alright, Slippy, we get the picture." Peppy chuckled. "I know you're very excited, but we have to move on."

"Oh, oh! And he showed me what the homeworld looks like!" Slippy pointed to the sky and turned his gaze to Fox. "He took me into this room, but it wasn't really a room…it was like walking out into the Cornerian plains at midnight! Only the Moon was huge, there were two of them, there were a lot more stars, and the horizon doesn't glow purple."  
Peppy's pen was busy.

"Actually, Slippy, Cerina only had one moon. Twin moons are just a common mythological theme."

"Huh? Agatio showed us that, too!" Fox exclaimed. "Yeah, he told us it was some sort of illusion. A few other Seers combined their powers to create it." He folded his arms and smiled softly. "They really are just like us…aren't they?"

"Fox, hold that thought for a moment. I need to ask you about this lead Seer…" Peppy finished scrawling his notes. "So, this Agatio fellow. What's he like? In person, I mean."

"Oh." A shiver shot through Fox's spine, as he once again struggled to maintain his thoughts. "Uh…well, he's…prominent."

"Huh?"

"Intimidating." Fox shrugged. "He could read me like a book…"  
_Literally._ He thought to himself. He shuddered, remembering that his mind was completely exposed.

"Ah. One of those types." Peppy decided against any notes. "What all did he tell you?"

"About what?"

"Everything!"

Krystal answered for him. "Well, we learned that there's a total of eight survivors…including myself. All the others are seers, except for one. Then, he decided to open up to us a bit if we helped him out. Then he told us about these circlets." She pointed to her own, perched snugly on her head. "Lance's guess was pretty spot-on, but evidently, my power wasn't only magnified; it's altered for as long as I wear it."

"Altered?"

"She's shown signs of minor telepathy ever since she began wearing that thing." Fox nodded. "Like that seizure last time we were on Corneria?"

Krystal squirmed at the memory. "It wasn't…I just…I accidentally read your minds. The jewel…it manifested itself and I passed out, it was so much."

"Well, that explains a few things." Peppy stated. "Now…please continue. What else did he say…?"

"Oh, yeah." Fox's gaze turned skyward. "He says that they need to find this thing called the…blood stone? Red gem? Ruby something or other…"

"The Blood Ruby, which should help us recreate our entire home and revive most of, if not all of our people." Krystal clapped her hands together with cheer and hope for the future. "It bypasses the very laws of the universe, and he said it can even grant everlasting life. He seems convinced that it's somewhere in the Lylat system."

"Why's that?"

"Because Andross stole it."

"What??" A slash of ink streaked across the hare's notes. "Is that how they got a hold of a Venomian cruiser?"

Slippy had learned this as well, and he didn't act as surprised. He reclined in his chair and began speaking. "Well, I think we already know that Cerinia's technology never even reached the computer age. So obviously they had to use someone else's ships. Someone who came to _them_."

"Agatio told us that it was the Lylat system that caused our downfall." Krystal spoke quietly. Slight irritation became audible in her voice, but she spoke calmly and coolly. "He told us it was a particular _Ape_ who stole something which might have allowed us to stay alive in spite of his invasion. Needless to say…" she added, voice wavering with fury and sorrow, "Andross stole the Blood Ruby. It was how he managed to live even after his defeat eight years ago."

_Then…it was true._ Peppy thought to himself. _It makes sense. Maybe I believed it the whole time…that they're blaming us for what Andross did._  
The rabbit scratched his chin, mulling the thought over in his mind.

"Is something wrong, Peppy?" Krystal sensed that the hare had a sudden realization, that he knew something they didn't.

"What…? Oh, nothing." He shook his head.

"Doesn't sound like nothing." Falco muttered.  
The team watched him for a few moments. His voice told them he was in a particularly rotten mood.

"Well…" Peppy responded as Falco turned his head. "Your friend, Ursa, called me before you guys got back a couple hours ago."

Fox's ear twitched. To him, it could only mean that the _other_ alien was getting into trouble.  
Slippy and Krystal raised their heads curiously. "Mm? What happened?" asked the latter.

"What else? Getting into fights with intergalactic species, as usual." He sighed and shrugged.

"Oh No…" Fox shook his head.

"No no no, just listen." Peppy held up his pointer fingers. "This time, though, his story actually makes a small bit of sense."

"What? How so?" Fox asked suspiciously.

"Well…what you told me…about Andross invading Cerinia. It's exactly what he and Grylls told me."

Fox glanced between Krystal and Peppy, expecting an answer. "And…how would he know that?"

"Another Cerinian told him directly. An Esper Racoon named Rubio, whom they claim tried to cut down both of them."

"That can't be! We would never do that!" Krystal retorted, standing over the table. "After eight years of wandering, how could we possibly show such barbarism to the only world that would have us?"

"Maybe he just hated the monkey." Falco shrugged, referring to Lance. "After all, haven't we all compared him to Andross in more ways than one?"

"He attacked Ursa, too, Falco." Peppy reminded him. "They both have the scars to prove it."

"Yeah, and I don't think either of them would do that to themselves." Slippy muttered.

"It's amazing that the two of them lived against someone like that." Fox thought out loud. "Looks like they knew too much about the matter, even before Krystal and I learned it straight from the horse's mouth."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" cried Krystal, shaking her head.

"We don't want to believe it, either, Krystal." Fox bowed his head and folded his hands calmly. "The prospect of powerful psychics as enemies, whom you know nothing about, isn't a very comforting thought. Even so…it's clear that one of them attacked Lance and Ursa. Whether or not the whole of them are against us, we should be wary and exchange information with our contacts back home."

Not a word was spoken in opposition, so Fox determined that everyone consented to this.  
"Fine. I'm going to call them up right now. "

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

A twilit sky cast a fragmented, golden light into the air. Everything on two legs bathed in the radiance of the falling sun, ending their daily routines and returning back to their holes. Workers boarded the transit, suitcases in hand, seeking only to return to their families after a hard day's labor.  
Throughout the highway, ovular pods scurried along the roads at a steady pace, tracked to a preset path, planted in rows of rails branching out in every which way. Ursa expressed confusion at the prospect of owning a car; in the cities, the public system provided for transportation across the city, and any cab was accessible via the common station. Only people of the suburbs owned any wheeled vehicles, since the "railways" only existed in the cities.

"So what exactly is the General like?" The bear asked the human, the two of them sitting across from one another in such a pod. Lance had gained them audience with General Pepper. Even though the old bloodhound wasn't the only governing figure in the Lylat system, he was definitely the most prominent, and oversaw Corneria on its own. An individual ruler was assigned to each inhabitable planet, while a small executive body regulated each of them, unifying the Cornerian empire.  
The General, as Ursa had predicted, allowed him a meeting because of his 'special' status. "I know you met him once, but that was real brief. Wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was during the same assimilation process they put Krystal through." Lance's arms were wide open, rested on the back of the seat where he sat. "He's what happens when you send a politician to do a soldier's job."  
_Not that I'm one to talk. I'm an imperfect "soldier," anyway…_

"……" Ursa took this the wrong way. "What do you mean by that?"

"Don't get me wrong; he's a nice guy and all, it's just that he's more of a negotiator and a politician than an officer. Just like I said." He shrugged. "Didn't you ever wonder how _four_ individual pilots could defeat an _entire armada_ which another _entire armada_ couldn't defeat?"

"Well…"

"Then, an event documented 19 years ago states that a single enemy was able to annihilate an entire Cornerian fleet."

"Well that's because the thing was eons ahead of…"

"Look. I'm not saying you guys are inferior. I'm just saying that all your resources are being mismanaged. I have a unique respect for you guys, so don't think for a moment that my words are any more or less than my concerns. Because I truly admire Corneria."

"Oh." Ursa thought this over for a moment. The only sound to break the silence was the muffled buzzing of the pods outside their own.  
"Really?" He said at last.

"Of course. Cornerians are unified, open minded, good natured…in a sense, I envy you. It's just the kind of world I had always hoped for growing up. And I think that deep down, a lot of humans would long for a world like this."  
He crossed his arms, remembering the terrors of the inner city. The Lylat system had none of that; their citizens were generally docile, and their warfare was impaired only because it was no longer part of their nature.

"Wow. That's…that's really…haha." Pride filled Ursa's heart, as he grinned, teeth glinting in the orange rays of light.  
He was flattered to know that this person, to whom he once differed himself, whom he once saw as a superior race, had such admiration for his country. It made him feel patriotic, and it was almost as if Corneria had allies out there in the cold reaches of space.  
"I dunno what to say."

"Whatever. But anyway…" he cleared his throat. Seemed like unrelated conversations with Ursa frequently shifted over to Humans and Cornerians as separate races. "Back to business. The General's expecting us in an hour, and we oughtta arrive at HQ in about 15 minutes."

At that moment, Ursa's communication began ringing, and a green light on his armband began blinking. "Oh, look at that." He mused.

"Must be Fox. What say we hear him out?"

"Couldn't agree with you more." Ursa put his game face on and hit a button on the bracelet.

"Yo, Fox. Long time no see." Lance saluted.

"Lance?? What happened to you?" Fox immediately saw three fresh cuts on Lance's face.

Falco's voice sounded, though his face never appeared in the hologram. "The heck? Man, Peppy wasn't kidding!"

"This isn't even all of it." Lance shrugged. "Thanks to your medical progress, though, I'm gonna stay pretty."  
Since Lance was quick to evade Rubio's attacks, and Corneria's healthcare grew beyond Human achievements, the scars would all be healed quickly.

Slippy's voice then sounded. "Lance? You look different."

"Yeah, human hair never stops growing. Gotta cut it soon."

"So is it true?" Krystal's face appeared next to Fox's. "Did a Cerinian really attack you? How did you even know he was Cerinian?"

"Please. The blue fur, the jewel, the precognition? How could I mistake it?"

Krystal moaned.

"So Peppy told us everything you said. Give it to us play by play."

"Well, first we just found him walking around the city." Ursa explained. "He looked like he was looking for something, and we noticed he had blue fur. It was in a less densely populated street, so I don't think anyone else saw it."

"He was looking for something? Could it have been the Blood Ruby…?" Peppy's voice, quiet as it was, was audible in the background.

"What did he just say?" Lance demanded, pointing off to the side as if Peppy were standing in the carriage.

"Uh…we just had an encounter with the Cerinians." Fox responded, glancing over his shoulder. "He's just wondering about something they said to us today."

"Which means you guys must know what they're looking for."

"Uh…" Fox and Krystal exchanged nervous glances. Slippy's face appeared onscreen. "Yeah…apparently they have some artifact which can grant everlasting life. I guess they're going to use it to try and rebuild their culture."

"What was it called, again?" Ursa inquired.

"They called it the Blood Ruby." Krystal answered.

"Blood…Ruby?" Lance scratched his chin. Immediately, the image of a red, glowing gem emerged in his mind. "Prolongs and revives life, eh? Sounds a lot like a myth back home."

"Really? So you have any knowledge to share?"

"Not really." He shrugged. "On Earth, several ancient cultures believed in a "Philosopher's Stone" or "Elixir or Life" or some kind of stone that granted its user immortality. Some Alchemy legend. Never really looked into it, though."

"Ow…chemy?" Ursa repeated, puzzled.

"_Alchemy._ A branch of human mysticism. Heh. Load of speculative crap."

"But if two different races on opposite sides of the galaxy thought of it…it must have some kind of truth behind it, right?" Krystal persisted.

"As we humans say, _There's a truth behind every lie._" He shrugged. "My existence in this world is reason enough for me to believe pretty much anything now."

"Well, at any rate…they seem to think this Blood Ruby is somewhere in the Lylat system. Maybe that's what Rubio was searching for?" Fox suggested. "Agatio told us as well: Andross got his hands on it, so it _must_ be here somewhere."

"You know, we're on our way to see the Commander in Chief himself." Ursa stated. "Maybe he'll know something about it's whereabouts. After all, the military did sieze most of his resources after the war."

"How thoroughly did they search the planet?" Lance asked.

"They declared it a quarantine planet and withdrew after several months of transporting goods and materials." Replied Ursa. "I don't really think they searched it all that well."

"You guys should be able to find something." Fox persuaded. He and the rest of the group continued to fill in the two of them on all the information they knew. Everything Agatio had told them, about the refugees, the blood ruby, Andross' presence, the jewels, everything.

"Hm…sounds like someone's trying to dupe us." Lance muttered glumly. "You guys be careful. I dunno what they're up to…but it can't be good."

"Alright. You, too. Remember…we aren't jumping to any conclusions, but keep on your toes. We don't know anything about what we're up against."

Krystal frowned. She didn't want to believe that the remnants of her race were capable of anything like this, but all the proof was laid out in front of her.

"Krystal." Lance addressed her. He noticed that she had softened up again since their last meeting.

"Ah! Yes?" She seemed surprised at his approach.

"You're a good person. Don't feel hurt if the worse comes to pass."

She hesitated, not really knowing what to say. "Y-yes…thank you." She genuinely felt heartwarmed by his concern. Once again she felt the reassurance of someone sharing in her loneliness. She should no longer have to feel such desperation, since she had found her own kind out here in the Lylat system, but deep inside she knew that she could never return to days past.

"Ursa." Falco called. "You be careful out there."

"Will do, Falco." Ursa nodded.

"Well, I guess that's it. You two stay here and investigate. We'll decide what to do next with the Cerinians. Call us if you need anything; we'll call you if needed. Team Star Fox, out." The hologram disappeared, and the human and bear were left alone once more.

"Huh. Hate to say I told you so." Lance shrugged. "These people don't care one bit for the Cornerians, do they?"

"Uh-huh." Ursa nodded absentmindedly.

"Hey, what's with that dopey grin?"

"Methinks you have a thing for little Miss Silent Blue. Hey…HEY, calm down! You look like you're about ready to kill someone!"  
Oh, how wrong he was.  
Lance had yet to tell his Ursine comrade of the deviation humans referred to as "yiff."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Well now, you boys have quite a tale to tell." The General himself sat before the human. Once again, he was astounded at his frail appearance. Even in spite of his old age, he maintained an unusual amount of youth and feist in his withered body.

"Sir, if I may…" Ursa insisted. He, Lance and the General were seated in no meeting room or briefing room…they were instead seated in more of a homely den in the middle of the Central Military Headquarters. The furniture was very traditional, wood carved, ornate and silky, with décor and atmosphere closely following the design of the French Baroque period.  
"I think we should keep this a little hush hush for now. We suspect the Cerinians…are enemies of the republic."

"What reason have you to believe this? If all seven of them are against us, would they not have struck already? Do they have the power to do so?"

"We have reason to believe that there's only so much they can do, despite all the hype." Lance folded his hands, reclining in the armchair. He looked far too sophisticated for the type of person he was. "Rubio seemed to speak for the whole of them, and wouldn't it make sense that they would have sent a single assassin to do us in?"

"I suppose I can't argue. But I wonder what the people will have to say?"

"No!" Lance and Ursa exclaimed at the same time. This outburst caused Pepper to jump in surprise.

"Wa, well…why ever not? Do they not have the right to know?"

"General, don't you ever conceal _any_ information from the public?" Lance frowned. The thought of the government revealing stuff to the public was illogical and inconceivable. "If they find out, the Cerinians find out we're onto them, and our cover is blown. We need to do this secretly."

"Not like they can't see everything we do…" Ursa muttered glumly.

"But they'll come out in the open for sure if the entire Lylat system knows. Can you imagine the casualties?" Lance sulked. "This is a Cold War now…waged between individuals. We shouldn't bring the citizenry into it."

"Mr. Callahan, what you are suggesting would be to deceive the citizenry. To blind them from the imminent danger they face. That is something I cannot do."

"I don't wanna tell you how to run your nation, but for now this is the best thing to do."

"However, sir," Ursa added. "Can't we at least wait until after the conflict subsides to tell the people? I hate to say it…but telling too much would be like sticking our necks out for the Cerinians."

Pepper contemplated this in silence, folding his hands together and waving his fingers in the air. With great effort, he lifted his weary bones from the sofa to walk over to a gargantuan window. Outside, he could clearly see the entire eastern city below him. His reflection in the glass made it seem like his face was painted in the clouds.  
"What you said just a few moments ago…" he began, "It's…true. There are but very few records and accounts we keep from the public. They exist…but they are few."  
Ursa's face showed shock and dismay, but Lance looked about as smug as he had discovered a gold mine. "That's brilliant! That means you know something, then?"

"Why…yes. Yes I do." He turned to face the two of them. At the moment he turned, the final shard of the sun submerged into the black of night.  
"But the information with which I am about to entrust you has been withheld for a reason. It is knowledge that can only burden the people…things that can _never_ leave this room."

"What if we have one more ally to add to the collective?" asked Ursa. "We have someone else who might be able to help us out."

"Oh? Who might that be?"

"Sergeant Major Tora McAllen of the Cornerian Special Forces. Former comrade and member of my same squad, with Falco Lombardi and Katt Monroe."

"Very well, then. But no one else. You are NOT to tell anyone whom this conflict does not concern."

"Agreed." Said Lance and Ursa in unison, without any hesitation.  
"This is a very grave matter." Ursa persisted, "We have to know as much as possible in order to survive the struggles that await us."

"Those years ago, when that madman threatened the nation…we were utterly helpless against his technology…the degree to which he was able to gather his resources and manufacture his weapons…it was impossible. Especially with such a small army. It was as if two troops would replace every one we defeated."

"Exactly how small was his army?" Lance was once again trying to analyze whatever information he could squeeze out. He had always wondered where Andross had gotten his troops.

"Nearly a quarter that of the United Lylatean Forces. But it grew with every planet he took, forcing as many soldiers as possible into service. It was mostly that his technology was so unique and so far beyond our own, it was simply too much for us."

_Sure, __**that's**__ the reason._ thought Lance cynically.

"However…once the Star Fox team defeated Andross, we scoured the planet Venom in search for his secrets. We were disappointed, however, to find that the barren world only lived up to our previous expectations. There were no special materials, no extinct civilizations, nothing. All we found were his many bases and research labs…all there without a trace of their origin. What's more…the technology that built it was not only more advanced than that of Corneria; it branched off in a completely different direction."

Lance and Ursa exchanged curious glances. "What do you mean by that?"

"For example, upon capture of a Venomian fighter plane, we tried to dissect it and examine its interior. Though we hoped to unlock its secrets…our greatest engineers were unable to identify many key parts of the machine." Pepper pointed a small remote device to a TV screen. It switched on, and he rolled through an archive of files, settling on a particularly interesting image: A standard Venomian Invader ship. Under the "wing," a large gash revealed the 'guts' of the vessel under the shell. The two footsoldiers expected to see pipes, wires and the obtruse pattern of circuitry, but instead saw another layer of metal, covered in a hieroglyphic pattern of blue veins, scattered throughout the piled sheets of metal. Occasionally, a small hole burrowed through the various layers, disappearing in the dark.

"What the…?" Lance tilted his head. "But…that just kinda looks more like a reenforcement for the shell…or…something like that."

"What you are looking at IS the plane's various mechanisms." Pepper mumbled. "If you could take a look at it later, Mr. Callahan, we'd be grateful. Ahahaha!" He chuckled, remembering Lance's Intuitive Aptitude.  
"Anyway, our mechanics dealt with numerous vessels, not just this one. Not a single one of them could identify any engine, energy core, navigation systems, or most fundamental devices. As a matter of fact, the entire build more closely resembled a living being than a machine."

"Lance," Ursa turned his head to his comrade. "You don't think…?"

"That's right." He muttered. "The Cerinians."

"Ah, so you think it's Cerinian?" Pepper strolled over to a filing cabinet while speaking. "That makes sense. After all…if that Blood Ruby is from Cerinia, it would only make sense that he would have applied much of Cerinia's knowledge into his own war." The old Bloodhound pulled something out of an eye level drawer. "When we first seized the Blood Ruby on Venom, we thought it was just another _Energist_ like the other numerous crystals he had lying around." Lance assumed 'energist' was a Cornerian word for an energy source, possibly a crystalline object.

"He had other crystals?" Ursa widened his eyes ever so subtly. Could there be more Blood Rubies?

"While there were other power cores of the same nature used throughout his growing territory, all of them paled in comparison to this one. It was huge, and even without professional equipment one could just sense the raw, terrifying power in the pit of their souls. Our soldiers later described the experience as an _hopeless, inevitable sense of unity._"

"If that's not what we're looking for, I dunno what is." Ursa shrugged.

"Indeed. It must be this Blood Ruby you speak of. When we first found it…we hadn't the least clue about it's origins. But when Krystal arrived…everything became clear to us."

"Did it react to her presence?" inquired Lance.

"It did." He confirmed. "In it's current resting place, it remained dormant until the very day Krystal was determined to have entered Lylatean territory. When that day came, the stone began glowing a violent, vibrant crimson. True to the name you gave it, the researchers described the stone as 'filled with a churning ocean of blood.' All speculation of a connection with the alien were quickly discarded and passed off as meaningless conjecture. Besides…the researchers were convinced it was Venomian; no more, no less."

"I guess now we know the truth." Ursa shrugged. "So, where is it now?"

"Wait." Lance said abruptly. Things had been going through his mind…if the Cerinians could be watching their every move, if they could find anything, couldn't they find this artifact they needed so much? But if Andross had made replicas like the ones the General described as "Energists," surely they would be unable to zero in on the Blood Ruby's unique presence? It must be part of the reason they needed Krystal and the rest of Star Fox alive…  
"Just tell us the planet. Don't give us the exact coordinates until we enter orbit." If the Seers could listen in to the conversation, they would know the location as soon as Lance and Ursa heard it.

"I won't question your strategies. It sits underground in a hangar on Macbeth." Pepper nodded. "Remember it well…you'd better leave now before your enemies beat you to it."

"Do you think we could hide it from them?" Ursa had caught onto Lance's train of thought.

"I've said it a million times: they still have limits, otherwise we'd be dead by now." Lance frowned. "If Andross had more of these 'energists' lying around, that must mean he tried to replicate the Blood Ruby. Makes sense to me that if they doused for it, they'd find any number of replicas."

"Is that your Intuitive Aptitude speaking?" Pepper grinned.

"That it is, sir." Lance grinned back. He stood up to leave the room, but hesitated. "Oh…one thing before we leave. Is there a connection between Corneria and Cerinia? I mean, even before Krystal got here."

General Pepper was taken aback. "What ever made you think that?"

"……" Lance turned around, waving it off. "It's nothing, never mind."

"Well, General, thanks for your time." Ursa nodded towards the door. "Well, Lance? I say we Barrel Roll on outta here."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Miserable wretch!" A lionesque face twisted in anger, forehead wrinkling in disgust. "We overestimated your powers!" He turned to Topius for consolation. "The useless fool…how could he fail his own premonitions?"

"Master Agatio," an ursine voice tried to console his leader, "we can't expect too much against an enemy like this. Rubio's foresight gave him a great advantage, but his lack of tactile thought led to his downfall."  
Rubio stood before the other six, shamed for his failure. The Cerinians shared collective pride among groups, which was why the entire group felt dejected over the loss. It was also why Krystal had been continually criticized for her parents' alleged betrayal. When an individual failed, all of his or her associates shared the blame.

"Such was his own doing, Onyx." Agatio growled. "Such incompitence shall not be tolerated in our ranks, Rubio. You have dishonored the Seers."

"Milord, there was nothing I could do! Try as I might, my visions…"

"Trying isn't good enough. We should have kept you on espionage where you belong." Agatio sneered. "Next time we'll send out someone who won't jeopardize our plans. Now give us a full report."

"Still keeping an eye on our two earthbound friends." He responded mildly, closing his eyes in shame. "They have just learned the whereabouts of the Blood Ruby. The human knows why it took us so long to find it…"

"Where is it?" The lion demanded.

"On a planet called Macbeth. We're closer to it than Grylls and Callahan are."

"Onyx. Azure." Agatio barked. "You two are going down to the surface of this planet to find the Blood Ruby as soon as the two _lice_ learn its exact coordinates. You are to retrieve it as soon as possible."

"Crafty little bastard." Topius cursed. "He knew we'd try to beat him to it. Has he given up trying to throw us off? He's acting like a desperate animal."

"Don't underestimate him." Lazu advised. "We know from watching Rubio that his retaliation is swift and unexpected. We would do well to expect the worst of that furless monster."

"Well said, Lazu." Agatio zeroed his vision in on the stout feline. Lazu's build wasn't fat, however; his robes just gave his short, hefty body a rounded appearance.  
"To ensure that our friends will not get in our way…I will take Azure and Onyx to the planet in person to retrieve the Blood Ruby. I am going because no one else can transport across great distances, and I must take the gem before the military realizes we are even here, otherwise we might cause quite a mess. While there, the two other Seers will ensure that the duo will never again cause us any trouble."

"Yes sir." Azure and Onyx exchanged pleased glances, both acknowledging his order at the same time.

"Milord…if I may be so bold…" Rubio whimpered, "the bear and the human…they plan to recruit the help of a third member. Do you think it wise to send another Seer to even their numbers?"

Agatio scowled. "These two will be more than enough. We will need some of our own in reserve against the team Star Fox."

Rubio's eyes widened. "Why are we attacking them? They don't yet know of our intents! By the time they learn of our plot it will be too late."

"You said it yourself: they already suspect us. In order for us to initiate the first stage we must seize one of their own." He clenched his fist. "For only with her talents can we unify the Blood Rubies and weild that endless power."

"And me, of course." Topius raised his hand. "You know how it is…a Seer for each ruby. That's why I'm needed here. Besides…if I try anything else I might get someone killed. The only other person we could send for battle would be Lapis and Lazu; two seers in each frontier sounds fair enough, right?"

"Besides," Onyx began, "because of our current situation, the only thing we really can do is carry out our operations consequtively and as quickly as possible…in case we slip up during either operation. Otherwise, they will know…and they will do all in their power to destroy us."

"So…does that mean that we have to go all out now?" asked Lapis, her words flowing like sweet nectar.

"Correct. If the mercenaries decide against handing Krystal over to us, we will be forced to take her by force. Lapis and Lazu's Vitakinesis and Energy Manipulation will be sufficient enough for that job. Meanwhile, Onyx and Azure will fight against the allies on Macbeth, in ways they will be unable to retaliate against. Telepathy…Psychokinesis…no matter what tactics a mortal, aura-weak person can come up with, it always pales in comparison to the greatest of the mind's true power. As I said, I will transport the other Blood Ruby to the ship, where Topius will be waiting. Because of his specialty, he will not be included in the battle; he must stay alive at all costs, and in the off chance a third party comes to us or the ship, Rubio will remain behind as a temporary guard. As soon as I transport the Blood Ruby to the cradle, I will turn to accompany Lapis and Lazu to the Great Fox. If I can't convice Krystal to our side…I will be forced to transport her as well. In such a case, my partners will have no other choice but to destroy the team, lest they interfere with us once more."

There was a long silence as everyone reviewed their individual roles.

"If all goes well, we should finish very shortly. Remember: No more foul ups."


	20. Chapter 20: Solace For the Dead

Chapter 20: Solace For the Dead

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

In a more isolated section of the Cornerian capitals, among the hills and suburbs overlooking the grids of light in the twilit city, there awaited a new quarry…someone else who might well be able to help the ursine and humanoid soldiers. Someone else who would be forever intertwined with the continuing conflicts of the Lylat system.

Two outlines glided up the hill, one hulking brutish figure, the other nimble and athletic.

"Hey…what was that thing I heard earlier?" Ursa's gruff voice rumbled. "It has something to do with all your studies…doesn't it?"

"What, the music?" Lance scratched his cheek.

"Yeah…I heard it, but there were no speakers or anything…how'd you do it?"

Lance grinned. "Haha…that's a secret I'll be saving for later." In his spare time, the Blackhearted Hero had been digging through mounds of books involved with acoustics and energy movement. He had put these methods to the test in such a way that even a clairvoyant like Rubio would only see it as an artistic practice. If he said it out loud…

"D'aw…forget about it." Ursa shook his head. "We better hurry up and get this lazy cat out of bed so we can head to Macbeth as quick as possible."

"That won't be necessary." Lance shook his head. "The location of the Blood Ruby was never physically spoken, and any Esper of theirs would be useless until it was said."

"Hey…why haven't they just read his mind by now?"

"Maybe they can't do that over long distances?" Lance suggested, an eyebrow raised. "Besides, the General is always so heavily guarded, I guess there's not much they can do about getting close to him, unless they wanted to spark an all out conflict."

"Haha! You're either really presumptuous or really insightful!" Ursa laughed. "My grandpa had a term for that…what was it…something about seeing 'underneath the underneath'?"

"Wait…what?"

"I'll let you think that over for a minute!" He reached over to slap his tremendous paw on Lance's back. "Let's just get this on the road. I'm getting really impatient right about now."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"That guy doesn't know when to quit." A grave, masculine voice spoke harshly yet softly, with a white and orange hand gripping a datacore, a computer-like device used to display information. Text and images streamed across it's flat, glasslike surface as the face of a black panther appeared with a bounty under his mug.

"If they catch him they're going to bring him up on sexual assault charges before all the murder or racketeering he's committed."

"Good God…" a second voice, strong but girly, muttered in the dark. Floorboards creaked as a tigress strolled to peer at the image. "Thirty thousand space-dollars? Is that what he's worth now?"

"Apparently the bastard tried to put the moves on a certain someone in the Star Fox team." His eye twitched and his low voice grew cold and sardonic.

"And she didn't like him?" She acted surprised for comedic interest. "Must have been his horrid poetry."

The two of them laughed at this and drew their muzzles together. The two of them pecked a couple times before the man casually walked off, datacore still in hand. "Lucky for her the new guy was around. Otherwise…something terrible might have happened."

"He never knew how to please a lady." She giggled playfully and reclined on the couch. The two of them were in the corner of a darkened living room, and only the light of the stars and city illuminated the darkness through the ceiling-to-floor windows.

"Humph. Never did, never will." Tora was commonly known as a tight-ass, mainly because of his unique lack of a sense of humor. "It's because he can't get any, that's why."

She was about to respond, but there was an abrupt knock at the door, followed by the usual ring.

"'Scuse me," Tora popped his neck and rounded a corner, stalking over to the door. A quick tap of a switch on a wall, and the double doors swerved open. Behind it stood the hulking Ursa Grylls, hunched over to peer through the doorframe.

"Tora!" He exclaimed. "Haha! Ya haven't changed a bit, you mangy cat!"

Tora sidestepped, motioning for him to enter. "Same Ursa." He grunted, unenthused. "Still obnoxious as always."

The bear stomped into the house, making himself at home, and Tora peered out the door to check for the other guest. Lance's eyes surveyed the entryway as if it was booby trapped, and readily stepped in. His eyes met with Tora's, the two of them glaring accusingly at one another.

They were sizing eachother up.

Tora was bulkier than Lance, but still no where near as massive as Ursa. It was a cruel body, quick and agile as the human's own, but obviously a good deal stronger.

_It's clear…this guy knows how to handle himself. Glad he's on our side._

"I take it you're Tora."

"I take it you're the human."

"Lance Callahan." The human introduced himself.

"Tora McLellan." The tiger was equally pithy.

The two of them watched eachother for a while.

_Those eyes…he's observing…taking it in. He's just like they said he was._

"Uh…come on in. I guess we have a lot to discuss." Tora jerked his head towards the living room, where Ursa had met with the tigress.

"Uh…is someone else joining in?" Lance inquired suspiciously. He saw her sitting there on the couch speaking casually with Ursa, as if they were going to tell her everything.

"Oh, don't worry. I don't intend to get in your way." She retorted.

"I told her about the secrecy…" Tora began. "That the General had agreed to only one other person on this mission."

"That was the _only _reason I'm not coming with him. And the rest of you." She stood up. She was clearly offended…by Lance, by the looks of it.

"If the military would let me join you and pick up a blaster again I'd show up the lot of you."

"Show _me_ up?" Lance showed a new and hilatious expression. He flashed a crooked, toothy grin and tilted his eyebrows; one furrowed, the other raised. "I don't think you've heard the rumors!"  
Though he knew her claim was plausible, Lance found it pretentious and laughable. Even so, he'd be careful not to move out of line.

"I heard." The Tiger/Lynx hybrid crossed her arms. "I just don't think it wise to leave out another good candidate for the protection of an entire system."

"Can I at least know my challenger's name?" Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Miyu." She responded, turning up her nose. "Miyu Cougar."

"I'll remember it." Lance snickered. He could see there was some validity to her claims…she, too, knew how to fight, judging by her movements: the consistent gaze, the raised shoulders, the balance and readiness. "Just so you know…I'd have nothing against an extra helping hand."

_What a tomboy. Wonder if she's as good as she claims?_

"Yes, we know how you like bending the rules." Ursa joked. "We all know how you vigilantes like fighting for the greater good, but General's orders say you can't do that anymore."

"Huh." Lance crossed his arms. "What a shame."

"Sweetcakes." Tora turned his head to Miyu. "I'll tell you everything as soon as I get back. So don't go throwing any wild parties." That last comment was just a tease.

"Hee…I'll be waiting." Miyu strolled by, caressing his shoulder. She gave him an alluring wink, but shot a distasteful glance at the Bear and Human. They exchanged puzzled looks after she disappeared.

"……"

"Enough chit chat. Let's roll." Tora popped his neck again and picked up a small duffel bag from near a TV monitor. "I've got the ship out back."

"That's good." Ursa nodded. "Knowing you, I thought you mighta crashed it to bits!"

"What was that?" Tora tilted his head. "I was always the rational one, dumbass."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"So I called Central…" Peppy walked into the bridge, clipboard in hand. "And they said they'd grant membership to the Cerinians as soon as this whole thing was cleared up. The General himself said he wouldn't trust them with the Blood Ruby, but whether or not what the Seers say is true, we have no way of knowing."

"So we're deadlocked." Fox pouted. "That's spectacular…"

"Not necessarily." Peppy replied. They were the only ones in the room at the moment. The momentary bleeping of dormant console lights was the only other sound. "The General sent Lance, Ursa and a third contact to find the Blood Ruby, which the military allegedly owns. Their initial intent was to lure the Cerinians out of the dark, but the General seems to think they have plans to research the stone."

"And what's your theory?"

"I think he'll just blow it up." Peppy stated bluntly.

Fox sighed. "Of course…so we'd better do something about that."

"We'll rendezvous with them as soon as possible so Krystal can help out."

"Why would Krystal be part of their job?"

"The Ruby apparently changed many of its phsyical properties as soon as Krystal entered the system. They thought it was coincidence at first, but it reacted again when the other Cerinians entered Lylatean territory. If their presence has such a profound effect on the Ruby, maybe we _can_ research it."

"Call them up as soon as possible so we know where to meet them." Fox nodded. "I don't want to be left behind, and I don't want anyone to do anything reckless."

"You feel we have no control over the matter?"

"I guess so." Fox shrugged. "That's why we're going to regain control, isn't it?"

"Good enough. I'll go tell the others." Peppy nodded and hobbled off, leaving Fox to his own thoughts.

The leader sat there, quite literally staring off into space. In the abyss of the cosmos, others may have felt small and weak, but Fox felt right at home. Something about it was welcoming…something about it was familiar. To him, every star and every constellation held a face of its own, watching over and smiling down upon him. While he understood how the others felt, he had never seen space in this manner.

It soothed him, eased his stress.

It was then that Fox McCloud was struck with a sudden epiphany: the Cerinians' plot itself didn't bother him the least; it was the possibility that, when and if her homeworld was revived, Krystal might stray away from the team…away from Fox.

His eye twitched. For the past week, she had been on his mind almost nonstop. He wanted so much to open himself up to her, to take her up in his arms and feel her heartbeat along with his own. But he wasn't even sure if he felt genuine about it.

_My feelings were selfish…_he told himself. After all…it was all the result of a conversation he had nearly a week earlier……

_"Most of us don't, though. We tend to gravitate towards our own kind."_

_"Like you and Krystal?"_

_"W-w-what?? it's not like...we're not...where did that come from??"_

_"You seem to be overreacting. That's unexpected…"_

_"Well what do you expect? I mean...why would I...?? You're too young for these conversations!"_

_"I'm 20."_

_"26! Ha! Gotta grow up a little more, I'm afraid."_

_"Technically, I'm 68."_

_"And what about you?"_

_"What **about **me?"_

_"You don't seem like the romantic type."_

_"I'm not. It would get in the way of my job."_

_"Oh. I guess so."_

_"…………Which also means you should stop coming onto Krystal, eh?"_

_"Will you stop doing that??"_

Fox chuckled at the memory as Krystal's shining face came to mind. He remembered the first time they met face to face: she looked beautiful drenched in the gentle rain of the Krazoa Palace. Trapped in the giant crystalline prison, even in stasis she resembled a goddess to him. He felt a questionable sensation pulsate all throughout his body, hopelessly pondering their future.

_Stop being a selfish little kid._ He shook his head. _If you really cared…you'd help her no matter what._

And then, from the depths of his mind, he heard a voice: _If you really cared, you'd **protect **her no matter what. You know those Cerinians are up to no good._

Fox groaned and began rubbing his temples. "I need rest…"

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"It looks like your determination won your battle, didn't it?" A lean, masculine figure walked up behind the child. Strong arms whisked her off her feet as she found herself inches away from the ceiling, peering down at an affectionate, paternal mug.  
"Yeah! No one can beat me if I stay strong! Just like you said!" The little girl curled her arms, imitating a strong man, causing the man to chuckle.

Several other figures positioned in a circle turned to pleasantly watch the interactions. They needed something to take their minds off the matter at hand…anything heartwarming……

They were the remaining seers. Six others besides Jasper.

Just like most of their kind, their fur was always various shades of blue. The Lion stood as the most prominent figure of the lot of them. Agatio…one of the most powerful in Cerinian History. He strided over to the parents, appearing to levitate.

"Lady Garnet." Agatio growled in a friendly tone to the mother, "What a pleasant surprise. Have you come to keep an eye on your husband?" Those fierce, golden eyes skipped over to the father, raising an eyebrow. "Jasper? Have you been philandering?" Chuckles erupted from the group, and the little girl giggled without fully knowing what they meant.

"Heh…don't even joke like that." Jasper scratched the back of his head anxiously. "You know I'd never betray one of my own." He snatched up the vixen, locking her in his arms. Garnet spun about him, whining playfully, until they met with a brief kiss.

The little girl, not wanting to be left out, tackled them with her fragile body, burying her tiny muzzle inbetween them.

"Oof!" They were a small but content pack, seeking only the warmth of one another's arms. Inseperable, few people were blessed with the love and affection they shared; the vulpine family had lived together briefly, but those days were always and always would be the greatest days of their lives.

IIt's happening again./I Krystal, in the present day, was observing her younger self, cuddled up in her parents' arms, the other six chortling good-naturedly.

_"I remember it so vividly."_ Her eyebrows tilted upwards dolefully; she comforted herself by rubbing the side of one arm.

_"It's like I forgot that I once knew all of them…Lapis, Lazu, Azure, Onyx, Rubio…"_ her eye twitched when she saw the Esper Racoon. He looked so calm and young…so serene. She found it unlikely that he could have attacked Lance and Ursa like that.

A diminutive figure, more equal to her own height and age at the time, inched along the walls and out from behind a nearby bookshelf. He was a fox, just like she was. His fur was such a light blue that it almost looked silver. His ears were lowered in apprehension as he enviously watched the group and their merriment.

"Hm?" Lapis turned around, having sensed the child's life draw near. "Oh, don't be shy! Come here!" Instead of using her usual toxic yet amorous voice, she spoke in a soft and motherly tone.

The fox receded behind the comfort of the bookshelf, and when Lapis went to retrieve him he tenaciously shook his head.

"Don't be silly!" Lapis grabbed him lightly by the arm, and the child reluctantly decided not to resist. He ambled towards the rest of the group, staring at the ground to avoid everyone's eyes.

"This is Topius." Agatio placed a caring hand on the vulpine's head. "One of the newer candidates as a Seer. We will help him to grow…if he decides to go along with us, the oligarcy will see to it that his family is properly aided."

"My parents are really poor." Topius lifted his head for the first time, speaking in a cheerless voice. "Becoming a Seer is the only way to help them…because of the funds."

"The Eastern Phalanx has requested to teach him personally, because of his unique trait." Agatio continued, now scratching the child's head.

"Oh? What might that be?" The vixen picked up her child, bobbing her up and down in her arms.

"He's just like your daughter…because this child is fully capable of using the Blood Ruby." The Lion's eyes shimmered as he flashed a satisfied grin.

"Really? That's spectacular news!" Jasper's eyes widened in anticipation, turning to meet his wife's equally excited expression. He knelt down to meet the shy child's gaze.

"Did you hear that? You're going to do great things soon!"

"Yeah…" Topius couldn't care less, it seemed. His underwhelmed response took Jasper aback.

Krystal pouted and squirmed out of her mother's grip so she could stand face to face in front of the pale blue seer-to-be.

"Why are you so sad all the time?" She insisted.

He averted his gaze and shrunk back shyly. "I'm not sad…"

"Don't worry!" She grabbed his hands. "Once we grow up and become Seers, everything will be okay!" For the first time their eyes met, his astonished yet timid face and her vibrant, youthful mug.

Lapis nudged Lazu and cooed: "That's so sweet, isn't it?"

"Which brings us to why I brought you here, Jasper." Agatio's tone turned grave. Azure took this as a cue to take Topius and the others out of the room. The meek little fox tore his eyes away from Krystal, staring at his marching feet. His face flushed underneath the white fur, with one final glance in her direction: She was still watching him.

The footsteps pattered down the stairs, and only the lion and the family of foxes remained behind.

"What is it, Master?" Jasper pressed a hand to his daughter's backside, and she in turn wrapped her arms around him.

"It's about the Blood Rubies. Both of them."

His face fell. "Is it time to use them?"

Agatio nodded. "The time has come to show your courage…I have a special purpose for you."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"!!" Those green eyes shot open as the dream ended. Never before had the vision progressed so far; it always ended before Topius entered the scene. Until now, Krystal hadn't even thought about him.

And until now, she had forgotten that entire conversation. Two Blood Rubies…Topius' powers…a job for her father…what could it all mean?

"I remember those days." A familiar voice spoke behind her. Krystal sat upright, surveying the room. At the far end, a silver male fox sat cross legged in a chair at her own desk.

"I was so meek and pathetic back then, wasn't I?"

"It's you!" She exclaimed. "Then that means…you're alive, too?"

"I became one of them." He murmured solemnly. "I became a Seer. And because of it, I get to live and fight for another day." Topius smiled peacefully, having come to terms with past events.

"How did you get in here?"

"I'm not really here. What you're seeing right now is a fragment of my own aura…an independent astral body, I guess you could call it. I just want to talk for a moment."

"Talk? About what?"

"I figured I was the only one who could have convinced you. After all, we share the same fate, don't we?"

"The same fate?"

"You remembered the conversation…thanks to Master Agatio and me. There are two blood rubies…two Cerinians capable of channeling their power…connect the dots. There's only one path."

"But how do I know I can trust you?" She raised her voice, much to his dismay.

"How could you say that?" He challenged, "Are you ready to betray your own heritage?"

"You've concealed yourselves too much and even attacked two of my friends! How can you expect me to just trust you every time you say something?"

"Krystal, I'm hurt by your words."

"I know what you're feeling right now, but don't think that I…"

"Say nothing more. We've both been lonely for the past eight years…and if that stuck up old man had allowed me, I would have contacted you a lot sooner."

"……"

"Don't you think it's time you returned to your roots? Leave this place. Leave Star Fox. Stop playing house and return to us, so we can relive those careless childhood days once more…so the children of tomorrow can live knowing that we built their world for them!"

"Topius…I don't think you understand." She spoke meekly, in almost a whisper.

"How long have you been here? Six months? How long have you known us? For years! That's how long." He pressed. "Who matters more to you? Your _new_ home, or your own culture?"

She had no response.

"It's because of _him_, a Cornerian, that we were nearly wiped from existence." Topius jerked his head towards the door. "It was because of that filth that our very world fell into abyss."

"It's not their fault! There's no way they could have known!"

"They allowed it to happen."

"Andross wasn't even one of them anymore! He was exiled!"

"Then maybe it's because of a certain other Fox on this very ship, hm?"

"!!" Clearly, he had hit a nerve.

"They matter more to you now, don't they? He matters more to you than I do."

"You were a silly childhood crush!" She snapped.

"And this one isn't? I suppose it must be if you forgot about me and the others so easily."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't think you have any idea how this has impacted us. Yes, you're life has been hard…but you aren't the only one to have endured the cruelty of time."

"Stop tormenting me." She said at last, her voice quivering. "Just say what you came to tell me."

"That was it."

"That was it? Then what was the point?"

"The point was…whether or not you saw our relationship as a passing fancy…I still care. _We_ still care." Throughout the entire conversation, he had managed to maintain a soft exterior while slowly picking away at her from inside. "Unlike this insecure admirer you've found, I have no fear of moving forward. Right now, you're all that matters. Stop fraternizing with your enemies and come back to us…please. It's time you find company in one of your own…whether or not you return to me is your own choice, but for the well-being of our own people, it is imperative that we unite to solve all our problems."

Krystal sat a long time, remaining in bed as the apprentice remained seated at the opposite wall. "First I want you to tell me everything." She insisted. "Start with the Blood Ruby. I want to know everything."

"First you need to realize…you may not like what you hear." He said this very grimly. "But what the Seers did, and what we intend to do…is for the preservation of our very lives."

"I want to know." She replied, determined to hear the whole story. Since he wasn't as powerful as the other Seers, he wouldn't be able to conceal his emotions from her; she would be able to sense whether or not he was lying.

"There are two of them." He began. "Only when united they will somewhat resemble what Agatio has claimed they are. They can't create planets and summon the dead. It can't grant its user eternal cosmic power. It can't create new souls and defy the natural order."

"Then why do we need it?"

"While it cannot _create_ life…it can surely control the _flow_ of life. At a terrible cost, we maintained roughly half of the entire Cerinian populace, now stored within one of the Blood Rubies…which we currently own."

"You already own one of them?"

"Andross took the other."

"How did that connect with what was able to do on Sauria?"

"With it he was able to sacrifice another's life and escape into the astral plane….because that's how it works: a life for a life. But only with both Blood Rubies and the proper abilities...namely, ours...can this process be reversed, thereby bringing the astral body back into physical existence. He was able to substitute the power of the other Ruby by utilizing the Krazoa spirits. He had previously tried and failed to emulate the Ruby's dreadful power in several crystals he named "Energists." The very crystal in which you were trapped up on that summit was one such jewel. Even incomplete, it was enough to allow him to at least channel the spirits into himself. You were simply the missing component…one who was pure of heart, whom the Krazoas would trust with their lives."

"I'm not sure I fully understand."

"It's advanced psionics. You don't need to know anything about the occurrences on Sauria…just the Blood Ruby itself."

"How did there come to be two of them?" She continued interrogating him, after mentally reviewing the previous explanation several times over.

"That doesn't matter, either. It's another historical lesson, connected with its conception under Lord Daemon. Do you still wish to know?"

"Will it affect how this entire fiasco turns out?"

"No."

"Then tell me why Agatio is so unwilling to let me and the Cornerians in on his little secret?"

"Usage of the Blood Ruby will result in the impending death of the Cornerians."

"What?? Why?" She cried, "If this stone can augment the flow of life as you say it can…why do the Cornerians need to die? Won't the lives you already have in the first blood ruby just be brought back?"

"Their physical existence is no more. As I said before: the Blood Ruby cannot defy the natural order. Therefore, matter cannot be created or destroyed. Their auras and spirits entered the Ruby while their bodies remained to burn on Cerinia. They require other physical entities in order to return among the living. In other words…the Cornerians are the obvious target. Using Andross as an example: his spirit did not simply materialize. It merely possessed and animated the statue of the Krazoa God."

"I can't believe you want me to be a part of this!" She shook her head, holding her head in her hands. "Why didn't…why didn't you just lie to me? Agatio could have easily deceived me and I would have gone along with it all! Why tell me the truth?"

"Because you would have had to learn eventually." Agatio appeared between the two of them. The air rippled, and his being emerged from the hole in space. "Otherwise…you would not have been able to control the other Blood Ruby."

"Master Agatio…please…don't tell me…are you serious about this?"

"Are you losing your conviction? I would easily choose our own race over these shallow, ignorant insects."

"But there must be another way! We don't have to kill them, do we? We can just adapt! We can assimilate to the Cornerians and rebuild! Is this the only option?"

"Think ahead, child." Agatio shook his head, still bowed to the ground. "We will lose our culture, our philosophy, our religion, our very way of life…there are too many issues to address if we wish to simply _rebuild,_ as you put it. Such a task is foolish and impractical when given the option Topius has laid out for you."

"But…"

"I will have none of it. This is the moment we have all been waiting for…this is the moment you have longed for the past decade! Are you going to just throw it away? You cannot betray us, Krystal. I beg of you…listen to reason!" His voice grew both frantic and angry at the last demand.

"I…" She buried her face in her hands and sat still for a long while.

_Why hasn't Fox or the others gotten here yet?_ Right now she deeply wished that someone would come along and lift the world-heavy burden off her shoulders. The fate of two separate worlds lay in her hands, and only she could choose which one lived or died. She looked over to her nightstand, at a clock which showed that no one else could possibly be awake.

"I just want to know one thing." She whispered at last, trying to hold back her tears of frustration. "And don't lie…otherwise I won't join you. Not ever."

"If you mean that…ask away."

"If…if I go through with your plan…if the Cornerians all die…" she choked up but regained her composure. "Will my parents live again?"

Agatio and Topius were taken aback by the question. They exchanged inquisitive looks, and turned to her with a heavy sigh.

"No. Nothing can ever bring them back."

"Can I at least know how they died? My father…he died doing something important, didn't he? And my mother…I don't remember anything…but she died protecting me…I think."

Agatio's eyes pierced through her. Without moving an inch, he said to her: "The truth may shatter you more than you realize. There's a reason you don't remember…it's because your mind couldn't handle the harsh reality of the situation."

**"I want to know!!"** she shrieked, louder than either of them had expected.

"So you want to know the truth, do you?" Agatio's face contorted in rage, his growling tone resounding with ill intent.

"So be it. The truth will come to you soon enough."

And with that, the Lion and his cohort vanished. Krystal leaped out of bed and ran breathlessly to where they had previously been.

"No…no, no, no!" She whirled in a circle as if they would magically reappear. But they remained elusive…as did her most accursed memories.


	21. Chapter 21: Silent Blue

Chapter 21: Silent Blue

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"So." A familiar calm, heartless voice sounded. "Ursa tells me the two of you were once footsoldiers."

"That's right." Responded Tora curtly.

"So tell me about it. What's the story behind the four of you?"

"Did you say 'the _four_ of us'?"

"I've been told you were also part of the same squad as Falco Lombardi and Katt Monroe."

"There's nothing to tell." Tora turned his eyes to the outside.

"Of course there is. Your eyes say it all."

A small passenger ship zipped through space. The light from the engines began bleeding out into the void, marking the trail where the vessel had roamed. They were on their way to Macbeth, to find something that would change the fate of the entire Lylat system. The few who were aware of the conflict believed they would guard it, or that they were going to research it and use it to Corneria's ends. But only a few other people knew the truth: They had all intention to blow it to pieces.

"Well, what do you want me to say?" The tiger frowned irritably.

Lance sighed. "Well, here's my first question." He slouched in his seat, arms spread out and a leg perched on the console in front of him. "Now, I've never met Katt. But it seems to me like none of you guys are the really soldier type."

Tora's nose twitched. He was still facing away from Lance. "Well maybe Cornerian soldiers aren't like Human soldiers."

"It's not that. I've heard about Bill Grey, the McClouds, the Hares…and I've seen the average soldier." He turned to look straightforward, where Ursa was seated piloting the ship. "You wouldn't happen to be a Convicted Soldier, would you?"

"The hell does that mean?" Tora frowned again. He watched another ship fly by, beacon visible from miles away.

"It means you joined the service to avoid punishment." He turned his head slightly to glance at Tora. "It means that the Cornerian military pardons convicts if they fight for the empire."

Ursa's head shifted uneasily, as if he was about to look over his shoulder. He decided against it.

Tora, however, turned his head to face Lance with a gnarled, vindictive scowl.

"So you think I'm a convict, then?"

"_Ex_-convict. Service in exchange for freedom. Falco, too. He was once a gangster, wasn't he?" Lance's lip curled, as his own expression matched Tora's own. They were a lot alike, in many ways.

Tora's eyelid quivered. He turned to look at Ursa, still in his pensive state.

"Nosy little punk." The tiger reclined in his own chair. "What about you? You don't look too nice, either."

"What do you want to hear?"

"The truth. What's your story?"

Lance smirked and returned his gaze to the front of the ship. "In a land of killers, a sinner's mind is a sanctum."

"Is that all?" Tora threw his head back and laughed. "Ahaha! So all humans are killers, then? Is that what I'm hearing?"

"Didn't you read the paper?" Lance raised an eyebrow. "Humans are just like you guys. But just imagine: we have a lot more 'Leon Powalskis' running around."

Tora snorted. "You're one of them, I presume?"

"Grew up around 'em." He leaned towards Tora. "And they make guys like O'Donell look like playground bullies."

Tora was unmoved, strong and steadfast as he read the human's face.

"This is going no where. When are we going to hit Macbeth?"

"We're another fifteen minutes until we can enter orbit." Ursa pointed forward. On the starboard side of the ship, the planet's shape hung in the void, showcasing a brilliant blue aura. "You guys shouldn't get too crazy; save it for the Cerinians." He spoke gravely and cautiously.

"Hey, how'd you end up with Miyu?" Lance continued.

"That's none of your business." Tora growled.

"Whoa, whoa, didn't mean anything by it." Lance didn't see how Tora could have taken it the wrong way. "You just don't seem like the romantic type."

"I'm not."

Lance blinked, and glanced at Ursa, who just shook his head and shrugged. "Then…what was that display back there?"

"Oh, please. That doesn't prove anything."

"I couldn't help but notice the ring." The human raised an eyebrow. They still seemed young for something like that, but apparently it was common for unwed couples to exchange rings anyway.

Tora's head whiplashed downwards at his own finger. Sure enough, a silver ring sat on his ring finger. He curled up his fist and jammed it into his pocket.

"I've never had good luck with women. Why bother?"

"Why _are_ you bothering?"

"Three Fs rule." He replied, which caused Lance to laugh hysterically. Tora jumped in surprise, thinking much more seriously on the matter.

"Oh shit, that's good…three fs…" Lance shook his head, still giggling. "Hah…so if that's not what you're all about…"

"The real reason I joined the Military. The only reason for anything I do."

"What's that?"

"Power." Tora held up a fist. "Don't think you're the only one with strength like that, Mr. Cosmic Castaway. I can fly a fighter jet, shoot a blaster and throw a fist like no one else I've ever met. I'll never again see the day when I'm called weak!"

There was a flash of determination in his eyes. It was a drive Lance had seen before…one he knew all too well.

He held back a smile as a thought crossed his mind.

_This guy…he reminds me of Hermes._

This place truly was the home away from home.

"Guys." Ursa yelled out over his shoulder. "We've got an incoming call from the General."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"You…dirty rats!" A quivering, gloved hand reached upwards. A guard lay there on the ground, his dark, reptilian body lying helpless on the pavement. The entire left side of his helmet had been cracked open, leaving a naked eye to watch as the intruders continued further contaminate the base with their presence. Red lights were flashing, rhythmically rotating throughout the room and fading in and out of existence.

"Silence, whelp. You got more than you deserve." A huge, sandaled foot stomped the hand into the ground. The guard winced.

"Azure, cleanse his mind."

The racoon walked out from behind the bear, sneering. "My pleasure." She lowered herself to one knee, and yanked the guard's helmet off. Underneath it, a beaten, bruised and broken crocodile stared up at her. There was both fear and defiance in his stare.

"Who are…you people?" he muttered as his eyes drifted about in his head.

"We're just here to purge the unclean." She placed a hand on his forehead and another finger on the jewel on her own forehead. In an instant, the reptile's body stiffened up, the final spasms of death coursing uncontrollably through his body. He finally went cold and limp, as Azure stood up to immediately walk away.

"When I said to 'cleanse' his mind, I didn't mean 'flood.'" Onyx kicked the body, just to make sure it was dead. He nonchalantly turned to walk after his comrade. "Blood is a big expense, Azure. This world isn't used to it."

She snorted. "They won't be around much longer to hear of it."

"We won't be able to inhabit the whole system, you know. Even if we wanted to, Master said to conquer Corneria and leave the rest of them alone."

"They're all Cornerians!" She yelled furiously. "They're all scum…we should take from them all! What did you think was going to happen once we reinitialized the Cornerian Souls? Did you think the rest of the system would let us do it?"

"And they all deserve our wrath." Onyx walked past her, raising his arms to a heavy-armored, reinforced door in front of him. "But we should trust in Master Agatio's judgment and leave be the rest of the system. Isn't that right, Master?"

The lion appeared in front of the two of them, placing a hand on the door. With his maneless head, in the pulsating red light he looked like a demon. "Azure…your envy will be the death of you." He turned to look over his shoulder. Half his scowling face was engulfed in shadow, the other suffused with a vehement red. "Onyx. Hurry and destroy these fools so we can move on."

Onyx nodded and ran up to the door. It was too thick to forcibly remove, but instead he placed his two hands on it. The door suddenly started molding and reshaping under his very hands. The texture changed and the door seemed to have a will of its own, bending away to form a tunnel through nearly 3 yards of solid metal.

His power was to manipulate the form and structure of matter, and it came in very handy here.

The ursine intruder grinned and motioned for the others to follow him. The three of them…Onyx, Azure and Agatio…sped through the tunnel and into a clearing. Ten guards waited for them, blasters in hand.

"Ready? Steady? FIRE!!" One of them ordered, as a flurry of energy rained down upon the three like a thousand glowing arrows.

At that moment, Onyx lifted both arms from his feet to above his head, as if lifting heavy weights. The ground pulsated and lifted like a tidal wave, shielding them from the rain of fire. His power was amazing…nearly limitless, or so they said.

He thrashed forward, throwing his arms aside as if to breaststroke through raging waters. In response, the metal he had heaved from the ground forcefully detached from the ground and seperated into millions of fragments, releasing another rain of destruction into the face of his enemies.

There sat a hole in the ground in front of him, like a pore it sat in the ground, like a crater, mangled edges of the remaining metal clawing at the air. Electricity spat out where he had severed the wiring.

"It's been quite a while since I last saw you use these powers." Agatio nodded in approval. "To think…that I contain even a small fragment of that power."

Onyx roared with laughter as he approached another smaller, more subtle door at the end of the hallway. "And that's just enough, isn't it, my friend?" He shoved a hand _through_ the door. His physical strength was aided by his powers; he was bending and weakening the chemical structure of the walls even as he touched them. In a quick motion, he pulled the door out of the frame, grunting at the challenge.

"Alright, here it is…right in here." Azure nodded her head to the inside of the room Onyx had just opened up. The three of them walked through and proceeded into another area submerged in the red light. But it was a different light…soft yet bright. It pulsated as well, but not between red and pitch black. In the center of this great, circular room, the Blood Ruby they sought for so long sat in the middle of the room. It was surrounded and encased by service railways and balconies, rising up and circling around the great jewel. stairs led up to the first catwalk, and a series of ladders climbed to the top level of walkways. All of the walkways circled around the jewel, and were secured by heavy steel bars…which also served to hold the Ruby.

"There it is. Just like our own." She repeated.

"So is this where you come in?" Onyx directed his attention to Agatio, who was already strolling forward to the Ruby.

The lion only nodded.

"It's ours, now…it's ours at last!" Agatio turned to face the two of them. "I'm leaving our guests up to you. Do not disappoint me."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

The air rippled and churned as it had just hours before. A sandaled foot stepped out onto the ground, followed by another foot, and two sets of feet soon after.

There stood Agatio in his humble, monk-like robes. Behind him, in similar robes, stood the rotund, energy-manipulating feline…Lazu. Next to him there stood the other feline of the Seers: Lapis. As usual, she was garbed in the typical Cerinian outfit, not unlike the type Krystal had worn upon first arrival. Lapis' fit more properly than usual, however, and was draped in a cloak anyway.

"It's dark." Lazu commented, turning his head every which way. "Everyone must be asleep."

"No. They anticipated our arrival." Agatio strolled over to the wall and walked directly through it. It was made possible by either his cosmokinesis or Onyx's psychokinesis.

"They're waiting for us even as we speak."

"Hn…" Lapis frowned, resting a hand on a tilted hip. "That's right. I can sense all their life force nearby."

Her cloak shifted and clung to her fur, outlining her figure in the middle of the hallway.

Lazu took one look at her and rolled his eyes. "Couldn't show a little more decency for the race's remnants?"

"Quiet, you two." Agatio jerked his head down the hallway. Lazu nodded and raised his hand in front of Agatio. At that exact same moment, several blaster shots lit up and came in contact with the cat. But nothing happened.

"Hohoho!" He simply laughed and continued waving his hands around, blocking each shot with his bare hands. "Not a thing can be done!" Even in spite of their acts, Lazu remained jolly the entire time.

Further down the hall…"Did we hit em?" Falco craned forward to peer down the length of the corridor. It was dark, and his eyes were blinded by the sudden flash the blasters had caused. Their target area began glowing a soft blue.

"I don't think so." it was Fox's voice. "Uh-oh…"

Lightning flashed as electricity burst down the narrow quarters, lighting up and short-circuiting the entire Great Fox with it's power.

It narrowly missed the two of them; they had jumped into the junction and around opposite corners as soon as they knew that something big was coming their way.

It wasn't enough; as if forced forward by an invisible hand, Falco and Fox were both pulled towards the center of the intersection.

They both hit eachother with a thud, floating there directly between the floor and the ceiling, revolving around one another.

Was it…gravity? Was that even possible?

"You foolish beasts." Agatio stood before them. He hadn't taken a step…but there he was. "You have no idea what you're dealing with…and yet you continue to fight."

His face was cold and unmoved by their valiance. His back was straight and his eyes were devoid of all caring.

"You cretins…you challenged the Gods and lost."

From down another hallway, another shot whizzed by his face, narrowly missing his muzzle. He leaped back in surprise, whirling to his right to see who had attacked him. "Comparing yourself to God, Agatio? How pretentious."

It was Peppy Hare. In his hands he held a chargeable blaster. He had fired off a larger shot from behind a corner, but now he was in plain view, charging it up for another blast.

Having been caught off guard, Agatio released his grip on Falco and Fox, who went dashing down the hall towards Peppy.

Fox grabbed him, trying to take him along. "Come on! We need to get to the bridge! If we make it, we can…"

"You know what you have to do." Said the hare, without batting an eye.

"What? What do you mean?" Fox quickly turned to fire more shots; Lapis and Lazu had already rouned the corner, strolling after them without a care in the world.

"I'll manage, Fox. You've got Krystal and the rest of the system to worry about."

"Fox? Let's go!" Falco stopped as soon as he realized he was running alone. "We can't waste any more time!" He forcefully waved his hand for Fox to follow.

"Peppy! You can't last!"

"I said go!"

"But…" Fox was persistent.

"Fox! Move it!" Falco, impatient.

"GO!" Peppy gave Fox a mighty shove, and turned to unleash hell on the intruders.

Fox reluctantly eased away from the firefight, watching as light burst from in front of the old man's outline. With one final glance, he turned heel and ran like hell.

_Peppy…I'm sorry._ Falco broke into a jog, and ran full speed as soon as Fox met up with him. _Krystal…please be okay._

The two of them ran through a doorway, emerging into some sort of empty room, marked by a line in the ground and long, parallel lanes leading to targets on the wall.  
They were in some kind of gym or training room.

**"FFFFOOOOOOOOXXXX!!"** Slippy's voice echoed throughout the room, and the two mercenaries wildly scanned the room. From the corner, Slippy emerged, sitting atop a bipedal mech with two mounted cannons.

"Slippy?? What the hell!!" Falco stared wide eyed at the new creation.

"Is…is that this new invention you've been working on?" Fox jogged around the machine, drawing closer to the door.

"Yeah…but I stopped developing recently…it's still incomplete." The frog shook his head. His voice projected through a speaker in front of the pod, since he was contained behind a thick window.

"Look, the Cerinians are here! And they're pissed!! You better run! If they find you…"

"Not this time, Fox." Slippy stomped forward clumsily in the mech. "I'm not gonna run away this time. And I'm not going to let you or anyone else save me."

"What? Slippy, that's crazy talk!"

"Listen, Fox. Listen carefully." The amphibian still hadn't gained a good feel for the machine's movement; it awkwardly stumbled to the center of the room, aiming its cannons at the door they had come through.

"My entire life…the entire time I've been here as a part of Star Fox…and every single time I've tried to do something right…I've been a failure. Every time."

"But…Slippy, you're a valuable member! How can you call yourself a failure?"

"You say that every time! But it doesn't mean anything anymore." He turned slightly, as if looking over his shoulder. "On every mission and every sortie, you guys have had to save me. Even when we were kids in the academy you had to come to my rescue! What have I done for you since then? Tinkered around with toys and tools…creating the stuff we use as mercenaries? No…creating the stuff _you_ use? How many other people could you have hired for that? There were dozens of candidates you could have chosen…so why me? Because I'm your friend, not because I'm skilled."

"Slippy…"

"It's not good enough!" He insisted. "I'm tired of it all…I'm tired of being the mechanic. That's all I am…Slippy, the mechanic." He turned back to the doorway, cannons clicking with some strange mechanism. The two turbine-shaped objects on his back hummed menacingly.

"You guys go on ahead. I won't run…not this time." His voice was quivering; even in spite of his speech, he was terrified at what might happen.

"……" Fox glanced at Falco. Even the cocky bird wore a sad expression. Oddly, he was the one to speak first.

"Slippy…don't die on us." He nodded and tapped Fox on the shoulder. When his leader looked, Falco pointed over his shoulder with his thumb and saluted Slippy before the two of them ran off.

As they disappeared, a choking sound emitted from the speakers. Slippy was trying to hold back his tears, once again flooded with confusion.

He had just been acknowledged by the one who had always taunted him the most.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"This is getting crazy…" Falco wheezed, running alongside his leader through another level of the Great Fox.

"First Peppy, now Slippy?" Fox responded. "Has everyone gone nuts?"

"I guess you should be thankful." Falco grunted. "As long as those nuts are distracted, we can get Krystal the hell outta here."

Fox didn't want to acknowledge it, because of their compromising position, but Falco was right. "She's a key part of their plans. Protecting her right now is top priority."

"Heh." Falco snickered. The two of them slowed down as they approached double doors at the end of what looked like a lobby, an entrance hall of sorts.

"What's so funny?" asked Fox defensively.

"Huh? Nothing, nothing…" Falco insisted, pulling the doors open. "It's just that you get this funny look in your eyes whenever you talk about protecting her."

"What??" Fox shuffled through the doorway. "I've already been through this."

"Don't dodge me, I can read you like a book." Fox had no response to this. "You love her, don't you?" Falco flashed the most evil, mischievous grin he could muster. He crossed his arms and leaned in sideways towards Fox

"??" Again no response. He opened his mouth, but no words came.

"Heheh…I see." Falco turned his head as soon as he heard a sound. From the path they had taken, the other two Cerinians were hot on their trail. "Well in that case, you'd better run fast and find her."

"Uh…" Fox began down the hall, and broke into a run when he spotted Lapis on the other side of the room.

"Run to her, man! She's waiting!" Falco called after him one last time, before he disappeared into the dark.

"Now…I remember you." Falco lept towards the center of the room, rotating all 360 degrees while still suspended in the air. "You're that seer from the other day?"

He popped his neck, shaking out his arms. He wasn't going to be humiliated this time.

"Heehee…you remembered." She giggled, placing a finger on her chin. "What's wrong, didn't get enough last time?"

Falco sneered. "I guess you could say I'm a glutton for punishment."

She eyed him curiously for a few moments. "There's something in your eyes…something that wasn't there before."

"What might that be?"

"Conviction." She nodded. That familiar taunting smile brightened her face once more. "Good…I like that!"

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Are you sure this is the way?" The three footsoldiers, Ursa, Tora and Lance, all breezed past the numerous guards and soldiers and various obstacles scattered throughout the facility. It would have been much easier to reach their goal…but Onyx had graciously torn the base to pieces for them.

"How could it not be?" Tora ran impulsively, rounding corners and dashing through the base. "Look how blown to hell it is! Who else could have done this??"

"God Damnit!" Ursa cursed, struggling not to fall behind. "How did they get here before we did? They had to have been following us this whole time! There's no other explanation!"

"Krystal said something about Agatio being powerful enough to bend space." Lance suggested. "Maybe he teleported? Shit…"

"That's ridiculous!" Tora had trouble believing it…as did the rest of them. "I don't care what he is, no living thing can do that!"

"Hey, I'm just sayin'…" The three of them jumped through a gnarled hole in the wall. On the other side, they spotted the alter where the Blood Ruby should have been.

"Are…are we here?" Ursa peeked about, trying to find some clue as to their whereabouts.

"Well…we're exactly where the guard at the entrance said we should be." Tora walked towards the syphon which had previously held what they sought.

"Tch. They must have stolen it already." Lance crossed his arms. "The bastards…whatever they did, they had the means to nab it and take it home on a moment's notice."

Ursa sighed and massaged his temples. He had nothing to say.

"Great…just great." Tora, on the other hand was a bit more lively. He kicked a ladder down in fury.

"So now what?" Ursa tried to remain calm. "I say we go meet up with Fox and co. If the Cerinians have it, they'd have it with them on their ship near Zoness."

"I guess that's all we really _can_ do." Lance concluded.

"I'm afraid we can't let you do that." A voice behind them interrupted the conversation. It was another bear…about Ursa's size, smaller but more definition. On his forehead he wore a trademark jewel…but this one, instead of being held in place by a tiara, was embedded into his forehead. Black tatoos depicted where the tiara would be. He wore a single vest and a cloth that wrapped around his waist and reached his knees. Simple sandals covered his feet, and several heavy brass bracelets adorned his forearms, clanking and banging with each motion. Even as a psychic, he looked like he could crush a human skull.

Lance's eye twitched. _Fun..._ He thought to himself.

Ursa cracked his knuckles. He was about equal in size, so he wasn't intimidated by that. Instead…he was busy trying to figure out what kind of power this one had in store for them.

Tora struck a fighting stance, holding out a blaster and his bare fist. "So who are you? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're one of these Cerinians running around."

"You can call me Onyx." That basso voice rumbled throughout the room. He spoke mildly, but there was an untold wrath hidden below it all.

"Proclaimed the second most powerful of the Seers; if it has physical form, it is mine to command."

He lifted up a foot and stomped the ground with great force. A fissure opened up and ripped towards the three of them. Wherever it travelled, metal heaved upward and forward with explosive force, barely missing the footsoldiers.

"Oh, and that's not even the best of it." Another voice. This one full of malice and vengeance. It was none other than the racoon telepath, Azure. "Behold the next most revered Seer…Azure, the Telepath."

She was dressed more modestly than either Krystal or Lapis, with a single dress, opened on the side at the top of the hips and around the shoulders. For a Cerinian, she was dressed conservatively, even covered up with a cowl.

"I'll plunge your waking mind into a dark state of despair and terror from which there is no escape…of that you can be sure." She struck an offensive position, to emphasize her cruel intent.

"Didn't we already handle one racoon?" Ursa snickered. "I guess they didn't learn last time…they can't think we'll be ta…AAAHH!!"

In an instant, Ursa was lifted off his feet, hurled against the wall and pinned there. His body quivered, fighting with every ounce of strength to move, but it seemed as though Onyx had already decided to use his power against them all.

"Ursa! AUGH!" Tora leaped towards Onyx to attack him, but in turn was mashed against the wall by the Seer's telekinesis.

Lance looked around. Both of his allies were already helpless; their physical strength was nothing against such a power.

"!!" He instinctively reached inside his jacket. Not for any handgun or firearm…that would be useless against Onyx. That was the point of his learning to use the Baroque wand.

"Oh no, you don't!" Azure leaped forward and……stood there. It looked as though she was trying to stare down the Blackhearted Hero.

"………?" For some reason, Lance found himself unable to move at all.  
_What are you doing? Move! Move! Take out the baton! Liquify that bitch's insides!_

No response. His muscles had completely frozen. Before he knew it, he was falling backwards, lying down helplessly on his backside.

_No!!_

"Lance!" Ursa and Tora shouted at the same time. Tora watched in horror and Ursa struggled even harder against Onyx's grip.

"Now…" Azure strolled up to Lance, standing directly over him. His defiant glare reached those cold, brown eyes as she taunted him. "Let's see what's inside that twisted mind of yours…before we turn it inside out!"

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

_Why can't I know the truth…? Why not?_

A blue, vulpine face stared out of rippling water. Right now, Krystal didn't feel all too sure that it was her own reflection.

_Am I not allowed to have what I desire? Now, do I not even have the right to my own memories? It's not fair…what did I do to deserve this?_ She stood in a small garden, somewhere near the center-top of the Great Fox. Though not customary, it was not uncommon for many ships of that size to carry a room that closely simulated the outdoors. For health as well as asthetic reasons.

_I just…I feel like I only half exist. Helpless…useless…alone…a traitor and a wretch._ Face rested on her crossed arms, she sat there staring into the water. _I'm tired of living…I can't go on with this. I can't even live without being guilty._ For eight long years she had lived on, strong enough to keep living. The burden she carried right now…it was unimaginable. But she finally became fully aware of her faltering strength; she no longer wanted anything to do with the physical world…it wasn't so much that she wanted to die; the prospect of falling asleep and never waking up seemed to be the only solution in her clouded mind.

"Your emotions have clouded your judgment." Agatio stood watching on the trail behind her. She didn't move; she knew what he had come for.

"But can anyone blame you? With all the suffering you have endured…suffering which no other living mortal in this system can possibly comprehend. The fools of common society shed false blood, as if torment were an achievement…a fine art. They have no idea what true suffering is. It's not the end of the world…but the end of ours has come and gone. We know, Krystal…"

Agatio spoke softly again, and there was a pang of remorse in his speech. Krystal turned to face him, her face showing despair and apathy.

"You, like everyone else, have the right to soldier on and find happiness for yourself."

"I'm tired of _soldiering on_." She responded. "I've _soldiered on_ for the past eight years."

"With that kind of attitude you'll never have what you want. When you find it…then you can rest."

"……" Krystal remained silent. "I've found happiness…and I've found it here in Lylat."

Agatio's eyes widened with fury. "Then you will die along with it!!" The jewel on his forehead lit up, and the light around them dissipated, replaced by nothingness.

"They say the truth hurts. Now let us see how much it can do."

Extending like the thousand fingers of death, screeching like a thousand dying souls, the nothingness crawled out from behind Agatio, swallowing the light and encircling the lonely vixen. Where despair had once thrived, emptiness prevailed.

Her mind suddenly wavered helplessly in the raging torrent of her own memories. The world around her began to melt away and fade into the pitch black of night where not even the stars could reach her. She fell to her knees as the world beneath her trembled. Voices spoke through her head, pierced her, splitting her through her heart and mind.

_"Yes…that's it."_ Agatio spoke directly into her head, booming and echoing painfully. _"You've lost your way…you've lost yourself…you've lost everything. But look! There's something deep inside. It keeps your faith alive, yet it kills you…eating away day by day, melting away at your heart in spite of your best efforts to survive this cruel and random world. Seek it! Seek the eyes inside of you, staring back at you!"_

She opened her eyes, staring at a mirror image of herself. She sat there, in front of herself, covered in blood and tears. The ground rippled, rings of water extending away from the vixen. The ripples took shape…took form. She was sitting in an endless ocean of blood, with ghastly hands reaching up from the depths of the underworld.

From behind, two figures emerged. Their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises, but no blood flowed forth. There was no blood left…they had lived and died so many times over that there was no pain left for them to bleed out.

One of them, a male fox, perhaps in his early thirties, and a vixen next to him of the same age…the male placed a hand on the Girl's head. With pallid countenance he gripped her crown, this wretched dog, Krystal! How dare she live off of the death of her own people…her own parents!  
Her body grew cold.

"No!" She moaned, miserably. She covered her terrified face in her hands as she watched herself…sitting in front of her. All at once she recognized the two foxes behind her mirror image: They were her departed parents, Jasper and Garnet.

_"Krystal…I'm glad…you lived."_ Jasper's voice rumbled as though ten demonic voices were speaking all at once. _"You were all that ever mattered. If you were dead I would not have given a second thought to the fate of this world. It was a perfect sacrifice for you…you're a beautiful girl. Such a tormented, beautiful girl."_

His eyes were empty; black pits where loving eyes once shone. These words were a deception…crafted by an unliving puppet.

"No…I wasn't worth it…" Krystal shook her head violently, until a firm grip forced her head still. She tried to scream, but she was frozen in fear. Just like the eyes in front of her, her own began to lose their shine and fill with disregard.

Her body grew colder.

Suddenly…from the back of her mind, from a remote part of her abused, tattered soul, she heard a sound.

_"Take the Blood Ruby! Take it!" A desparate voice pleaded. He held a younger Krystal in his arms, backing away from a band of invaders. "Just let my daughter live, please!"_

_"Is this the will of the Cerinian people?" A cloaked man, marked by his dark brown skin and white fur as an outsider…stood ordering masked, metallic servants to do his bidding. "I had expected a bit more of a struggle than this."_

_He lifted up a metallic stick with a handle. From the hole at the end, a bright energy flashed and severely burned the torso of the father,_

_"Father! Father! Get up, get up!"_

_"Krystal…Krystal…"_

_"I'm here! Don't leave me…don't leave me all alone!"_

_A dead body, lying in the darkening soil. A caravan, housing the life of the world, the blood ruby. A winter wood, stripped of it's life by the tides of the seasons. They stole the ruby…murdered her father…left her for dead._

"It was my fault…he died for me…he gave up our world's last hope when he could have won!"

Her body grew colder yet.

The vixen behind her mirror self now spoke. With a distorted heart she murmered in a muddy, deathly tone.

_"And now, Krystal…you are the people's last hope. We died for you…now you must kill for us. Honey…Mommy loves you very much. She wants to see you again. Don't you want to see your mother? Darling…"_

She placed a hand on the illusion's head, forcing it still. Krystal felt the sensation of a similar contact, the back of her head pressurized in the shape of a hand.

She heard another sound…from the withered depths of her heart, a voice spoke to her.

_"How dare you…how dare you show your face here after you let those demons take our precious Blood Ruby?"_

_"Please…she was only a child! He was only trying to protect her!"_

_"Can a child account for the death of millions? Can we weigh a child's life against that of the world?! Tell me!!"_

_"No!" A shriek and a muffled yelp. Krystal struggled against strong arms, but she was blinded…too constricted to even cry._

_"Onyx! That's enough!" The voice of the one who held the child back shouted out, and there was silence. Followed by a dull thud, the wrath had subsided, and heavy footsteps trundled away._

_Krystal broke out of the bonds, and stared at a body that a child could not realize was dead. She rushed over to her mother and dropped to her knees. She frantically began shaking the corpse, tears falling from the tip of her muzzle._

_"Mommy? Mommy! Wake up! What's wrong? Are you sick? Wake up!!"_

_She felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The ghastly white face of another child fox blocked out the gruesome view._

_"Don't worry. We'll protect you." He embraced her as she continued staring down at the gore. "Just like always."_

_"Topius…why is she sleeping?"_

_"Sh…hush!"_

_"Why is she sleeping? I want to know!"_

_Strong hands lifted her up and whisked her away. "What do we do with that one?" A distant voice asked._

_"She will serve our purpose. Like Topius, she has what we need."_

_"Mommy! Mommy!" She thrashed about, scratching and pounding at the strong arms which slowly carried her further and further from her mother. "Don't take me away! She'll get left behind! Wake her up! Somebody…Mommy!"_

Her body grew icy cold.

"I remember…" she breathed, "…everything…"

And then…Krystal was no more.


	22. Chapter 22: Round One

Chapter 22: Round One

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Part 1: Ego Trip

Down…down…down through the emptiness fell the furless outsider. Drifting through the blackness all around him, his conscious mind faded from existence when the telepath entered his mind.

_"What in the world is this…?"_ The human's eyes and ears observed the abyss, seeing nothing and hearing naught. Nothing could exist here…nothing could occupy this world where the sun didn't shine.

_"Why…didn't you figure it out?"_ A taunting voice echoed all around him. _"We're in the depths of your own heart!"_ It was Azure…the telepath from before. _"I've decided to burrow through your mind and find out what makes you tick! Hahaha…"_

_"What? Bitch! Show yourself!"_ Lance roared, but to no avail.

_"Whoooo!"_ Azure shivered, ignoring his comment. _"It's so chilly in here…so dark and scary! If this is a reflection of your innermost self, you must be pretty evil! It's no wonder they call you black hearted. Well then…let's just erase you from the world, shall we? But not before we take a little tour, hm?"_

**"Graaaaahhhh!!"** Sudden pain pierced through all four of Lance's limbs. It almost felt like someone had jammed a knife in his hands and feet, and twisted it around, digging deeper and deeper.

He yelled in agony again as a sudden flash blinded him. His eyes adjusted, and he saw that he was pinned against a giant slab of rock, facing skyward to the Cerinian moons, both burning with a menacing crimson.

His breathing became quick and shallow. He gritted his teeth, turning his head all around him.  
_How did I get here? What's going on??_

He looked to his right hand, which revealed a giant lance puncturing the palm of his hand, jutting out the backside of the great tablet and into the soil underneath.

A 'lance.' How ironic…

The same apparatus had been shoved through his left hand and both feet. He looked up as he saw four more aimed and ready to launch.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Azure's voice sneered, referring to the moons. "You lying little bastard. This whole time you acted like you had no home to return to. Why would you say that? Why would you taunt those of us who _truly_ have no home? Why didn't you just try to return home? I guess some people just aren't happy till they aren't happy."

"You're a telepath." Lance grunted. "You should know the answer to that."

"Heheheheh…yes, yes…the whole thing. You couldn't return home, you're so lost out here among the stars. So why bother? You didn't tell because your adversity would give you a strong reputation…and in turn give humans the same image. Looks like the main reason was to show a little compassion to a certain other alien, correct? Make her feel she isn't alone?"

"That's what I do." He managed. The pain was beginning to numb. This led him to believe that it was an illusion caused by the telepath; since her attention was diverted by the conversation, her focus on his pain was loosening up.

"Unlike you, every action of mine is directed towards anyone who's been through shit in their lives."

"And what about us? What about those of us who truly have no hope? Will you not stop to save us??"

"You don't need any compassion; you're launching a genocide against a planet that has nothing to do with you." Lance hesitated. "Or _doesn't_ it? I'm not too sure anymore."

"Humph. Nosey little alien punk." Four more lances pierced the human's limbs. His lower legs snapped in half and his forearms ripped open when the lance's dropped. He yelled out like a dying animal as the weapons drilled deeper within his limbs.

"It's funny…the thing about Corneria…in their old age they're just like a bunch of babies." Azure materialized next to the great tablet, as did four more lances floating above the furless outsider.

"I find it odd that only Humans and the remaining Cerinians can truly appreciate violence like this."

Lance heard, but didn't respond. His gnashed his teeth, flattening himself against the rock.

"You know, Cerinians used to be just like them. Peaceful, bloodless, mild mannered people. Ever since that ape went and slaughtered our world, we haven't quite been the same, you see. Now I realize…I wish I had stayed ignorant. Just like those Cornerian fools." She ignored the tired panting and continued talking. "Cerinia…we were once a simple people. We were once civilized. We were once pure…just like Corneria. Once…we lived and learned and grew as a people. It almost pains me that I no longer care…I have lost all compassion for all creatures other than our own. I care not one bit for causing you this pain. The fact that I don't care may be the only thing I care about. Does this make any sense to you? No? Oh well."

The deadly needles jabbed into his elbows and shattered his knees. He grunted, trying to ignore the vast, unimaginable pain. It was beyond anything he had ever felt before, but did he care? Pain was a part of his training…part of something he had learned to live with. It was part of the system he had hoped to adopt, part of the discipline that was incompatible with his human mind.

"Ah…you're thinking about that again." Azure observed. "I've always been interested in those abilities of yours. AHA!" She yelled out, pointing skyward. Two more pins formed in the sky.

"It's called Murder by Numbers! While all human beings can learn like you can…they must first learn _how_ to learn, yes?! Simply amazing! I'll use it for myself!"

"No…bitch, that's top secret military…"

"Yes, yes, I know what it is. At least, _now_ I know." She snickered as a book materialized in her hands, symbolizing her reading his mind. "Don't worry…once Corneria is gone, the Cerinians will put it to good use."

"Do you know what that would do to the social hierarchy?"

"I don't care to know." She closed the book. "But something I would like to know…"

She walked up to the slab and glared down at the human. "What are these 'Black Operatives' you so commonly compare yourself with? No wait…I know this one."

She jabbed a finger at his forehead. "Aha…had you been 're-educated,' half of your problems would already be solved! I see now…you're an incomplete soldier! You're too human to be one of these Black Ops! You adopted their art but you retained your sentient self! In order to become one of these, you must break down your ego and even rewrite your id. Hahahaha…that explains why you're so messed up inside. Although I have to say…it takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline and willpower to stay on your chosen path. It's amazing…there's no internal conflict within you; the problem is staying consistent with your beliefs.  
But nevermind me, I'm just rambling."

She materialized another pair of projectiles.

"You're a unique one, that's sure. I think I've got you all figured out by now." The other four lances descended, piercing his thighs and biceps.

Lance yelled out so loudly that his voice cracked; every part of him urged him to jump up and rip himself to pieces just to end it more quickly.  
It was true…he had chosen not to allow his mentor to re-educate him; had he accepted the process, he would have forgotten the very reason he agreed to learn…he would have forgotten the very purpose of his existence.

Then again, had he accepted, he would have had no problem coping with this torture. He would have been a far more efficient killer. He wouldn't even have any emotional problems, either. Behavioral Modification looked really appealing right about now…

"Too late for that, Callahan!" Azure threw her head back and laughed in a manner that almost reminded Lance of a witch. "Now die! Die a slow, painful death within the recess of your own mind!" Four more lances appeared, as expected. Lance's eyes widened; he knew what was coming next, and the next split second of their descent felt like the longest in his life. They pierced and ruined his shoulders, and the top of each leg at the hips.

His mind was clouded with pain and frantic impulse. He had to live…he had to escape somehow. The only rational solution his mind could procure was to thrash like a wild animal. But something in his brain argued against it.

_NO!_ His other instincts kicked in. He was trained to keep his cool during times like this…and he had nearly failed. As Azure had said before…he was an imperfect soldier after all.

_Gotta think…gotta come up with something…she can be distracted and the pain will stop. Can't distract her anymore…gotta take control somehow. But how? She's inside your mind. It's your mind, dumbass…do something!_

_Of course! This isn't really happening…it's an illusion. It's a transitory vision she's projecting into your own mind. You can take control of her…but how?_

"Not gonna happen!" Azure cackled again, as another lone needle pierced through his center of gravity in the abdomen. Now he found he couldn't even breathe and scream to the heavens.

"I'm still in my own mind, projected into yours! You can't touch me!"

_Does that matter? This is my mind…my world…my ego. I just have to…_ His thoughts were interrupted as another needle pierced through his diaphram and through his spine.

"The Pain…the pain…the pain…" Azure chanted. She had leaped up to the stone tablet, glaring down at Lance from high above, still a safe distance away from the rain of arrows. "Feel it…embrace it…revel in it…pain is good. It means you're still alive. Or maybe that's a bad thing? Hahaha…"

One more point dug through his heart, another through his lung.

_Yes…of course I will…_ Lance closed his eyes, closed his mind off to even his immediate consciousness. She was messing around with his perception only. His five senses perceived exactly what she wanted him to see, hear, smell, taste or feel. But how could anyone shut that off?  
_There's nothing else I can do! I have to see the truth! I have to see the outside world!_

He envisioned the room in which he, Ursa and Tora had sought out the Blood Ruby. He envisioned clearly where Onyx and Azure stood.

_There isn't really a lance through my arm…so I can move it, can't I?_

Flesh and bone ripped to shreds as threads of muscle and shards of skin directed towards his side.

"Well I _guess _that's impressive." Azure raised an eyebrow, summoning more needles. "But it's not over yet! I'll just pin you down again!"

"Just watch." Lance saw the needles, and the greatest urge to push them away filled him up. It summoned a willpower greater than any other urge in the human mind: The will to live. Immediately, the descending points dissolved into a thousand fleeting shards of light, and the twenty that were already jabbed into him disintegrated as well.

"Huh." He snorted. "Looks like your sadism was your downfall. You took so goddamn long to kill me that I found up the willpower to take control. Had you killed me early on I wouldn't have had a clue what you were doing."

"Feh. It won't make a bit of difference." Azure's image disappeared again as her voice remained to taunt the hero. "I don't have to torture you; I've decided I'll just trap your mind in eternal limbo!"

"Wonderful." Lance muttered. "Just perfect."

How was he going to combat this one? By the same means? But if his mind was too confused to make heads or tails of anything, logic and willpower wouldn't help him here.

"!!"

The effects were immediate.

All at once, the world seemed to turn inside out: he suddenly found himself standing inside a small, cubicle room, with the six walls all covered in the grassy terrain. Even though there were no openings, the sunlight remained ambient.

"Hell with this!" Lance charged one wall, inevitably colliding with soil and a patch of flowers. The gravity shifted as he found himself lying down on that wall.

"What the hell?" He stood up and touched the wall on which he had just stood. Already he was going mad…

_I gotta find a way out…_ he thought to himself.

"Damn right, you should." A voice behind him spoke. Cocky, lively, gruff yet feminine…he knew that voice.

"What? Lorelei?" Lance whirled around. There stood a human girl, about a head shorter than him. Brown hair streamed down to her shoulders, with an electric violet highlight streaking through the front bangs. She was dressed modestly, but ready to fight at any given moment. At her side hung a satchel full of explosives…as she had always used in the days they spent fighting against the enemies of the past.

"Ah, Lance…" she sighed. She was standing on the soil (ceiling) above him. "48 years and you haven't changed a bit. What a heart wrenching moment this is…"

Lance curled his lip in disgust. "You…you aren't Lory. Get the hell out."

"Is that how you treat your comrades nowdays? For shame, Lance. For shame." This time another voice interrupted his ruminations. This time a male with an athletic build and jet black hair stood on the wall to his left. It was his old friend, Hermes. They always shared a rivalry of Eastern and Western ideals.

"I'd have thought even you had more honor than that."

"Hermes?? No…you aren't him."

"Why can't I be? Identity is subjective. All you need to do is convince yourself."

"It's all in your head after all." A cocky, slightly nasal voice rang out on the wall behind him. A kid with spiked, blonde hair and blue eyes began preaching. He had dark sunglasses rested on his forehead.

"Aay, buddy! Been a while, hasn't it? The years have been forgiving, I see! And look: you seem pretty popular nowadays."

"_Ax, _Ash Barton. A cheap imitation." Lance scoffed. "Nice try."

"There you go again, all high and mighty with your infinite knowledge." A weak pitched, lazy voice prodded him. A lithe male with slick, dark hair stood on the wall to his right. "I never should have given you the Baroque Wand. I really wish I had it right about now…"

"Roy. You're a lie. You don't exist anywhere but in my own mind."

"We aren't lying, Lance!" The last guest, a girl weak in demeanor with short, blonde hair occupied the wall in front of him. "Please, wake up! We're here in front of you…you can come home again if you only try!"

"Skye. Lonely as ever. Sensitive as always."

"Will you deny them, Lance?" The voice of an eleven year old child grabbed his attention. Another guest…this one from the world of the unliving.

"Will you deny _me?_ The one who sacrificed his life for the six of his only friends?"

Lance whirled about. The child stood there on the same floor Lance himself occupied. "Wha…Q? Is that you, Quince?" He knew the answer…but he was too stunned to think otherwise; his mind was under Azure's firm grasp.

"No…you're not…you're just like the rest."

"Why do you resist? Why do you fight yourself? Your entire life you've beaten yourself down for our sake. Now that you've rescued humanity…it's time for you to rest. It's time for you to be selfish for once."

"This system needs me…"

"A _new system?_ How trite." The child laughed cruelly. "Wake up, Lance. You're living a life of delusions. Never was your self-sacrifice necessary. You've always used brute force…and to what end? There has to be a better way…a smarter way. That's your way, isn't it? The cold, intellectual path? And yet…so often you submit to the beast within…you often release your own id to obtain these goals."

"How do you think I got my title?"

"You poor, deluded fool…you noble, compassionate fool…sit down and let me take over. You can rest easy knowing you've got a new ego to look after things."

But then, he heard a voice from within.

It urged him…cursed him…persuaded him to rise against. Though it came from an unseen source, he was sure it was the voice of a distant childhood memory.

"Wake up, Lance, wake up!"

And rebel he did.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

In an instant the two of them snapped back to the tangible world. The racoon inhaled loudly and suddenly, shocked in her forced return.

_He has something inside of him! Something dark and terrible…something wicked…_

"It can't be…! You have…"

Before she could finish her sentence, Lance sprung to his feet and drove a fist into her face. It contacted…but he was surprised at how sturdy she actually was; she stumbled backwards but remained on her feet.

Maybe it was because he felt so weak at the moment, having just had someone digging around through his own ego.

Onyx was equally shocked. His eyes widened and he even released his grip on the human's two allies.

_Perfect…now I can speed things up a little._ As he had intended before…but was interrupted from doing…he pulled out the Baroque Wand. Instead of conducting any sounds, he yelled out to create the vibrations and immediately lashed the baton around to direct and reform it. Invisible waves pulsated through the Cerinian bear's midsection.

Onyx instantly keeled over, eyes widened and chest heaving. His breathing was shallow, but stopped as he heaved and vomited.

"What…?! What's happening?" Tora saw what had happened to the ursine Seer, but he had no real clue what was going on.

_Yes! Yes! It worked!_ Lance continued directing the baton back and forth, with distorted sound effects ripping through the air. The path of the destructive waves were marked by the linear ripples in the air. As soon as Azure had regained any sense of rhyme or reason, the sound reached her head, humming and reverberating at a ridiculously high frequency.

"_Now_ let's see you use those powers of yours." Lance taunted.

"What's going on? I'm not hearing any sound!" Ursa glanced wildly between Lance, Azure, Tora and Onyx…the last of which was struggling to his feet.

"Ursa!" Tora by now was dashing towards the Cerinian bear, ready to body slam him. "Get your head in the game!"

Ursa immediately understood this intent. While Lance was busy finishing off the telepath, he and his old comrade would gang up on the weakened Seer.

Tora leaped and struck while Ursa stomped towards the enemy. Onyx shot off several chunks of earth and metal and what appeared to be small red dots.

If he was able to keep them at bay in his weakened state…what might he accomplish at full power?

"Y-you…filthy human…" Azure muttered as her mind returned to rationale. "You have something lurking around in you…you know this, yes?"

"Trying to find an excuse for your failure? How pitiful." Lance aimed the baton to where she lay on the ground to scramble her mind again. "As for what it is…I wouldn't trust you to tell me."

"!!" She threw her head back, unable to cry for help. Even the sound that escaped her throat was focused and redirected into her physical mind. Her body let out its last spasm of death just after she uttered some parting words:

"You've challenged the gods…you've challenged the gods…"

And with that…Azure was dead.

Onyx, having witnessed this, was waging a losing fight against his own opponents. So crippled was he that he could hardly fight physically or with his powers against his opponents.

_So that was his plan all along…that failure, Rubio, said the human was using that thing for artistic purposes only! Damnit…**damnit!!**_

He caused an upheaval of steel to ward off the fighters. Tora and Ursa's onslaught was halted, but the sound waves from the Baroque Wand drifted through the barrier and into his body once more. He felt his own cells shift and rearrange as the inaudible palpatations coursed through his bowels and through his backside.

His stomach heaved again, and he knew he had to escape somehow.

_So…he fights with sound, eh? That crafty monster…I'll have to escape for now. But I'll watch and wait…I will avenge our fallen sister._

Onyx pounded the ground with his fist. Two piles of metal burst upwards at the exact spots where the three fighters stood. Lance, Tora and Ursa were all thrown about like ragdolls, falling and crashing back to the ground. It gave the hateful Seer enough time to escape: he pounded the ground again, with his other fist, and a single column of earth and metal shot upwards and through the ceiling.

Onyx had escaped. Too injured to soldier on, he would later have his vengeance.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

"Oh…wha…where'd he go?" Lance opened his eyes, spotting the bear and the tiger staring down at him.

His head reeled, and the two of them helped him to his feet.

"He's gone." Tora responded curtly, nodding towards the pillar Onyx had erected. "I dunno how he plans to get back home."

"He did a number on us. More so than I'd thought he would…maybe more than he thought, too." Ursa stretched his back out, grunting in sore pain. "Knocked you clean out for about ten minutes, too."

"My head is throbbing..." Lance gently hovered his hand over the surface of his head, careful not to rub too hard.

"You guys…" Tora continued staring at the column, and the rest of the altered terrain Onyx had caused. "…you guys weren't kidding. These Cerinians…to tell you the truth I only half believed you until today. Even with the General's giving me the green light."

"You aren't trying to back out now, are you, Tora?" Ursa put a hand on the tiger's shoulder. "Remember Titania? You never backed out then, no matter how hairy things got."

"Ursa, this isn't the same!" Tora glared over his shoulder. "This is something…something…it's just that we can't fight something like this! They've got all these crazy supernatural powers and what do we have? How do we fight something like that?"

"We've got the tech and we've got the smarts." Ursa lightly punched him on the shoulder. "They're on our turf, damnit! There's no way they'll get away with this!"

"……" Tora remained silent. "You know…when I said all that stuff…I didn't mean to say that I was quitting."

"But you're trembling." Ursa pointed.

"What, this?" Tora flashed his razor sharp teeth. "I'm trembling…with excitement."

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Part 2: Immolation

"I can do this…I can do this…I can do this…" heart pounding, hands shaking, Slippy sat in the cockpit of his incomplete weapon.

"There's nothing to fear…nothing to fear. I can do this…"

A flash of light…a burst of lightning…a loud boom…the steel door was ripped out of the frame, zipping through the room at breakneck speed. Both halves of the door lodged through the wall directly behind Slippy, causing his mech to leap in surprise.

"Yeep!" Slippy gulped and wiped the sweat from his forhead. "They're here!" his voice projected out of the speakers, echoing through the darkened room.

Beyond the doorway in the pitch black of the night, from the edge of the universe…Lazu, the shard of hope from the abyss of despair, stepped serenely into the range. The soft pitter patter of his sandals softly echoed throughout the room, and his baggy robe sagged off of his seemingly rotund body.

"Lazu? It's you!" Slippy exclaimed. His heart sank; he realized that he would be forced to face this person with whom he so closely related.

Or maybe he knew it all along…

"Ah, Slippy." The feline sighed with a forced smile. "What a pleasant surprise. What cruel fate unites us here today?"

"It was true what they said…you really are going to attack Corneria, aren't you?"

"I'm afraid so." Lazu shook his head. "The Gods are insistent on our misfortune, I see."

"But…why do you have to do this?" Slippy stumbled forward. "Krystal is living here just fine! Why can't you guys just do the same?"

"That girl is far too immature to face the truth." Lazu shook his head. "Each and every one of the seers knows why we must go about this path. As Master Agatio reveals her path to her…she too will follow us."

"That can't be!" Slippy yelled. "She's one of us! She's one of the good guys!"

"This has nothing to do with morals, Slippy." Responded the Seer. His tone and expression were grave. "In a situation like this we only have the choices of life or death. Tell me, young one…what is expected of us? Are we to lay down our own lives…that of an entire civilization, an entire culture at the cost of another which we have never before seen?"

"But…"

"But nothing." Lazu frowned. "Slippy…I beg of you…run away. Run far away from this place. The rest of the system will be spared, but severe economic, social and political consequences should result from the attack. Regardless, there is still hope for all who leave the planet. You can still make it…please, stop playing the hero and save yourself."

"Play…the hero?" Slippy murmured. "Are you making fun of me?" He straightened out the frame of the mech. Suddenly he looked a lot more intimidating than a goofy frog should.

"My entire childhood has been filled with failure and disappointment. I've always been surrounded by people who are more compitent, stronger, smarter, more successful and more confident than I am. I've always had to take cynical statements and hide behind those stronger than me. Even when I was supposed to be a Cornerian Hero I've had to be rescued on several occasions. Even today the best I can do is polish the tools the heroes use…and even then I'm expendable. I'm here because they pity me. So who thinks I'm a hero?"

"……" Lazu just smiled serenely, shaking his head. "Young one…_Slippy Toad_…you _are_ a hero."

Slippy was filled with a deep sorrow and terrible regret. Tears streamed down his face, despite his best efforts to choke it down and prepare himself for fighting the man who was…by unfortunate events…his enemy. As the tears continued he frowned, the discharge blurring his vision.

"You have lived through harsh times and endured much suffering…and you have held your head above the waters even as you were flooded with regret and helplessness. You are as much a hero as anyone else on this ship because you stayed true to yourself and your comrades and you never gave up. No matter what happens here and now…no matter which of us lives or dies…remember that the day the Cerinians invaded the Great Fox…Slippy faced down his fears for his friends. He put his life on the line for them. He defied the Powers that be so they could live. Remember…one of us will carry on the other's memory. So give it your best, young one."

"Lazu…why does it have to be this way?"

"We are pawns, you and I. In the endless cycle of life, we can do naught but make the best of what little life has given us." Lazu sighed, placing his hands together in a praying motion.

"No more. Let us commit to the unfortunate tasks we have been given."

_I think I understand something._ Although tears remained on his face, Slippy was filled with resolve and determination. For the first time in a long time, he somewhat understood what it was like to be a hero.

_I understand…the self sacrifice. To fight one's own friend for the greater good. It's terrible…Fox has had to do this, too, hasn't he? He's a hero…and I'll be one, too at the end of all of this._

He remembered a tale from long ago…which told of a legendary vulpine who was forced into a conflict against his own friend…a former ally who at the time of judgment stood before him on his way to the salvation of the system. Fox McCloud's life had changed drastically after his father's death; one single event and his entire world had turned upside down. One of the many changes was the betrayal of an age old friend: Wolf O'Donnell.

_No matter what happens to me…I can't let him pass. Not now…not ever._

Slippy gulped and wiped the sweat from his face. Lazu was right, but he had never thought about it before: He _was_ a hero.

Lazu chuckled, but he too was hurting inside. He knew where his loyalty lay, and that was the root of his morals: he valued loyalty more than anything else. Agatio's will, and that of the entire race came before anything else, no matter how hard it was.

"I'm sorry…my little green friend."

Lazu's robes ruffled as he whirled his arms around in a single, circular motion. While he scooped through the air, a powerful electric current filled his arms; he thrust his palms towards the mech, claws opened wide, and an enormous burst of white lightning coursed through the entire room and the giant mech. The flash blinded him, and he had to scowl to keep the light out of his eyes.

"Yaaagh!!" Slippy felt the shock of thousands of volts roasting the interior of the machine. The lights on the consoles fizzled and flashed, but they remained.

"That's quite a piece of equipment there." The Seer commented. "But it's incomplete…I can feel it."

"Ungh…what was that?" Slippy pounded a button, shooting off a steady beam of energy towards the cat.

The Cerinian need only lift his hand and hold his ground for the attack to be nullified. The energy seemed to simply disappear two feet in front of his hand. He began to grimace and strain; apparently he could only hold so much power.

"An impressive stockpile of power. However…" He sidestepped with surprising speed, whirling around the beam, releasing the power he had absorbed. "…there seems to be a leakage in your system." With the attack, a sickle-shaped blast of light eradicated the cannon Slippy had previously used.

"No!" Slippy swerved instinctively. On a monitor, the blueprint of the machine was displayed; where the cannon should have been, a red light blinked on and off.

"The machine was incomplete to begin with. Energy inefficient against an energy manipulating Seer…it must have been fate…we've been given another chance."

"I won't let you win!" Slippy charged forward, the bipedal tank pumping its legs. "No matter what!" another compartment opened up, and a smart bomb launched off towards Lazu. Again the cat raised a hand and made a fluid, dancing motion, redirecting the bomb in a complete circle and into the corner of the ship. The explosion boomed throughout the ship, and Lazu leaped up to the top of the cockpit, staring at Slippy as he slammed a palm to the window. It began to glow as the feline transferred more and more energy into that one spot, superheating it and hoping to melt the glass.

_He's agile…far too nimble for his size!_ Slippy tried to thrash about in a desperate attempt to buck the Seer.  
"How are you so fast and agile?" Slippy made his thoughts known before he rammed into a wall, forcing the Seer to dodge or be crushed.

"Oh…you think I'm fat, don't you?" Lazu chuckled. "It's a rather unorthodox technique I developed: It makes energy storage much more efficient when you can hold it in a physical container instead of manipulating it to carry it wherever you go. I used to be as skinny as your feathered friend, but the more energy I store, the larger I become."

As if to demonstrate a point, he held his hand at his side while light particles drifted out of the ground and into a growing orb within the palm of his hand.

"I might be able to channel it from most of the surrounding physical matter, but that takes longer than channeling it from my own body."

Slippy grunted with displeasure, glancing between Lazu and the warped, melted spot on the shield he had caused. "So I guess that means you're pretty strong, huh?"

"Is that some kind of an insult?" Lazu threw the ball of energy. It couldn't have been any larger than a tennis ball, but it expanded into a giant explosion when it collided with the knee-joint on the mech's left leg.

"!!" Slippy fell straight to his side. Now the system diagnostics showed that he was short one leg.

"Now, Cornerian…because I wish to stop all possible bloodshed between the two of us as individuals, I'm going to end this in the most civil manner possible." Lazu casually strided behind the mech to the conduits on the backside. "I can sense the same power I use for fire-conjuring from this device." His hand skimmed the metallic surface.

"The vents are supposed to channel hydrogen from the surrounding environment, which it uses to fuel the engine." Slippy, still struggling. "But it's a faulty design, so I had to hook up these two tanks to the backside."

His voice was shaking, and he was still mashing buttons, hoping to erect the machine and strike back at the enemy. He knew Lazu had no intention of killing him, but there was too much more at stake for him to give up.

_I've got to think of something! All we have are energy-based weaponry! Oh…if only we had kinetic weapons…just like Lance has!_ All of a sudden the prospect of Human handguns seemed a lot more appealing than before.

"Hmph." Lazu slapped both of his hands on the tanks, filtering out as much energy as quickly as possible. "If you had made it more fuel efficient, maybe this would be much harder for me." The air distorted with the heat the Seer was causing, as masses upon masses of hydrogen gas were released into the open air around them.

"The mass is charged." Lazu muttered.

"It's ionized." Slippy replied. "That stuff is the main component in our blaster technology."

"Haha…is it now?" Lazu grunted and yelled as he lashed back from the machine. The whirring and buzzing died down as the mech finally shut off, starved of power.

_No!_ Slippy pounded the consoles in frustration. _I'm down! Completely useless…AGAIN!_

"You seem awfully calm." Added the Seer. "Why the change of demeanor? Have you finally decided to live? It doesn't matter, you know…if you choose self-preservation, it won't mean you're a bad person."

"You're…you're too forgiving, Lazu." Slippy muttered. He was clueless…completely lost as to what to do next.

_Wait…the backup supply!_ He smacked his forehead with his palm. _It's a longshot…considering he can just filter it out again. But there has to be something I can do…_

"Too forgiving? I love peace. No more, no less. It is my great regret that we are fated to become enemies." He began repeating everything he had said before, but in different words. As he continued his monologue, the wheels in Slippy's head began turning.

_Wait…the hydrogen is still here in this very room. If I can somehow ignite it…will Lazu be able to control it? No…the explosion will be too fast for him to avoid. But if I can cause the combustion, the shield might not be enough to protect me._

_Fine. I'll do it. I'll take that chance. I'll be the hero…just this once._

Slippy readied all of the switches and controls for the smart bomb and the emergency power supply. He had to do this as fast as possible…otherwise he would fail, and Lazu might move on to stop everyone else on the ship.

_1…2…3…_

"…and that is why we are here. Factors beyond our control or understanding…" Lazu's lecture halted when he sensed another surge.

"Hey…"

"Lazu." Slippy called out to him.

He remembered the scolding the Human newcomer had given them all. The value of life…their naivety and ignorance…and the heavy responsibility of deciding who lives and dies. Not a day passed since then that he didn't reflect heavily on that speech.

"I…I know what your life is worth."

The Seer whirled around, ready to drain the mech again, but it was too late. The smart bomb detonated…and the result was a blazing inferno so fast that he was burned almost instantly. He remained conscious for a precious few moments as his flesh burned away. But his powers could do naught at this point. Nothing could save him now that he knew what was happening.

But that was alright. Pain was transitory…life was transitory…he had died while serving the legacy of his people.  
_One hero dies…another is born._ Lazu smiled serenely, wisely…even as his physical form was reduced to dust. Up until his death he was enlightened and fulfilled. He had no regrets.

_Slippy…my fellow pawn. My prayers are with you._

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Part 3: Chastity

And during the majority of all these explosions, Falco, scouting a floor above Slippy, struggled to maintain his balance as the entire ship began to fall apart and bust up to kingdom come.

"Geez! What are they doing?" He yelled. "It's like the whole world's gone nuts!"

"Haven't we all, birdie?" a familiar, seductive voice interrogated. "Everyone's world by now is completely topsy turvy. The cosmos seem to be against all of us…the gods have turned against both races. Isn't it frightening?"

It was none other than Lapis…the other cat who had shown him up during their last encounter.

"Humph. And what better time for the final showdown, wouldn't you agree?" Falco spat. "I'm gonna wipe that smug grin right off your face."

"Aw…that hurts!" She whined. "You aren't afraid of me, are you?"

"If you have nothing better to say, then just turn tail and run, will you?" He crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

"Tsk tsk…Falco Lombardi, always trying to prove how tough he is. Look at him standing there, with his beak pointed skyward, with his hands crossed and his back straight. Such arrogance…that's a real turn-off, you know."

She crossed her arms around her midriff, standing just a few yards in front of him.

"A turn off?" He raised an eyebrow. "Tch. Yeah, as if…"

"Ho-hum…that's right…I almost forgot about Miss Monroe." She grinned mischievously, narrowing her eyes. "A cat and a bird…interesting couple. That makes everything all the more interesting, doesn't it?"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Falco gritted his teeth. "I don't need anyone! I fly solo. I'm a loner…a straight shooter!"

"Just sounds to me like you're shooting blanks." She quipped.

"HEY!"

"Oooh…did I hit a nerve?"

"That was out of line and totally obscene. I've got a mind to blast you to dust right about now."

"Would you care to prove me wrong?"

"……" Falco was dumbfounded. "Uh…? What the hell does _that_ mean??"

"Oh, like you don't know? You've been alone ever since you and Katt split up. Is that right? Don't deny it, we've done our homework."

"Humph." Falco snorted cynically. "That's right…I forgot your resident esper knows everything."

"Why _did_ you leave her, anyway?" She questioned. "Could it be that you wanted to try something new? You wanted to push her out? Become someone else? Were you hurt or something? You know, there was once a sect on Cerinia that believed that love was undignified…could you be a similar mind?"

"Just shut up already!"

"Everyone needs a release every once in a while." She began to strut in his direction, trying to showcase everything mother nature had given her.

"That's it!" Falco whipped out his blaster and in a flash, he fired off several shots towards the feline Seer. She ducked quickly, and all of the shots missed.

"You pulled this shit last time…but not again!"

"Are you resisting?" She lifted her hands to cradle her shoulders. "Don't resist…just sit back and relax. No more fighting…no more regrets…no more hiding." By now she was standing directly in front of him…but for some reason he felt paralyzed, unable or even unwilling to do anything. His eyes, once fierce and determined, were nervous and insecure, glancing around the room, periodically returning to but generally avoiding her gaze.

"That's right…just like the old days…right?" She wrapped her arms around his midsection, laying a head on his shoulder and pressing herself up against him. "Now just close your eyes…"

Falco lost all will to fight, and he was suddenly filled with an unexplainable desire to 'let himself go.' For a moment, he Idid/I lose himself, and leaned his own head against hers. But he was struck with a sudden moment of clarity. In a brief second, he pushed her away and leaped backwards, breathing heavily and shaking uncontrollably.

"Nice try! But you didn't think I'd forget what you're capable of?" Falco seethed, gasping as though he had nearly been suffocated.

Really…what _was_ her power?

"I don't know what you're talking about…" she purred.

"Let me in on it."

"Nnn…I was about to show you."

"You know what I mean." Falco tried to push a naughty thought out of his mind…because that was exactly what she was trying to do.

_Tch. She must be one of those manipulative feminists…_

"If you say so." She purred. "Everything that lives…everything that breathes…all that moves and thinks and feels and grows…I can control it. I'm Vitakinetic; I can change your life on a whim…" she licked her lips and extended her arms to Falco.

"I can work wonders. Wanna see?"

_Now I get it…she must have been screwing around with my hormones a moment ago. Makes sense…considering last time; she sent my flying across the room, and I woke up ill an hour later. She must have messed something up on a cellular level…_

"I think I've seen enough by now." He made a conscious effort to make eye contact with his enemy, constantly reminding himself what she _really_ was on the inside.

_She's the enemy…a Cerinian…and she'll eat you alive if you let her._

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to show you the error of your ways." She sneered. "You're still wandering around, searching for an identity. If you won't choose one I'll have to force one into that thick head of yours."

She lowered her arms, but her gaze intensified. At the same time, Falco physically felt something shift around inside of himself as a shiver ran up his spine.

"No way…not this time…" He pulled out his blaster and started shooting wildly and blindly, firing every which way.

But Lapis dodged with ease, weaving gracefully in and out of the rain of fire.

_She's forcing an adrenaline rush…my hands are shaking, my heart's pounding!_

It was true. He couldn't even think straight now; meanwhile, the vicious feline was having no problem at all keeping her cool and staying calm in the face of the bird's fury.

"Haha…what a typical male you are, Falco Lombardi." Her once sweet and seductive voice had become spiteful and poisonous. "Ruled by your primal urges…soon as you see a slim figure you hopefully and willingly trust me with the oppurtunity to kill you. You lustful, gullible fool…and now you go berserk with bloodlust and let go of all self-control. So predictable…"

She swiftly and suddenly swerved directly in front of him, tail raised to balance herself. The avian was too jacked up on adrenaline to even control his motor skills anymore, and couldn't react in time to block a palm to his chest. It was a weak impact, but he felt it resonate throughout his entire body; he was sent spiraling across the room and directly into a nice, hard wall.

"Ack…! Arrogant feminist…" Falco slid down the wall and slumped down to the ground, unable to move. He was numb, barely able to move. "Your kind is a dime a dozen…"

His head was swimming...

"Of course…during life we Cerinians were perfect in every way. Cerinian males would have looked down on you Cornerian men, ruled by the beast within, filled with such carnal perversions."

"Tell yourself whatever you want: it just disguises your own vanity because you revel in the lust of others and excuses your weakness because you've never known power." His legs trembled, struggling to lift himself off the ground. "Seems to me you just don't know jack."

"Your history says otherwise. Take away just a touch of social conditioning and you have nothing more than a stinking animal." She strolled forward in her usual fashion, readying another attack. Falco once again felt his adrenaline raging…debilitating him with his own strength.

"What's wrong? You look a little tense. Allow me to loosen you up a bit." She grabbed him by the lapel, and somehow managed to throw him clean to the other side of the room, at least 20 yards away. If there weren't a wall, he would have continued forward a good long while.

"And take THAT!" Falco landed a graceful face plant into a wooden table, breaking it in two and fracturing a few ribs.

"And you called _me_ violent…" Falco heaved, barely conscious. He couldn't even lift himself at this point. She had allowed (or forced) his adrenaline to die down so his injuries would take their full effect. Perfect timing…

_Urk…my side…how am I gonna get out of this one?_

"You were once a Special Operative, weren't you? Then what happened to those skills? Did they dwindle away after you lost your spine and took to the skies?"

"I wouldn't go that far." He felt the full magnitude of the attacks he had endured…straining himself would inflict stress on his injuries, but he couldn't just sit by and give up. His limbs felt heavy and his head felt light and foggy.

_How do I fight against something like that?_ Falco clutched his ribs as he stumbled to his quivering feet. He gripped his blaster, securing his elbow against his side. His arms had lost all feeling, and he could only do so much to secure his motor skills.

_One final charge…that's all I've got left. This time, I've got to make it count._ He knew that he wasn't cut out for close quarters combat, but his life and that of his world were at stake.  
He secretly prayed for a miracle…

_Remember how she dodges…try to trace it. Is there really anything else I can do?_

Falco stood his ground and pulled out a second blaster from its holster under his jacket. With both barrels pointed at the sneering Seer, the two of them lashed out for a final do-or-die movement.

""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o""""

Part 4: The Assimilation

On the highest level of the Great Fox, a lone mercenary dashed through the halls. Heaving in exhaustion, he knew he couldn't give up. There was someone dear to him whom he knew he had to protect…someone he had to save. Yes, Corneria was at stake. Yes, the lives of millions upon millions were counting on him. Yes, it was his job to guard the Lylat system.

But the real reason he fought was for a single individual. A single person with whom he was determined to share his innermost self, his deepest wishes and longings. Before today he had been too stubborn to admit it, even to himself. And not long before that he might not have even been aware of himself. It was a gradual process, falling into his nearly obsessive state of mind.

But he couldn't think of it too much; the whole matter was bound only to confuse him. It wasn't like him; it was too undignified. Too unprofessional. Such idealistic dreams would surely conflict with his life as a mercenary…these desires, for the sake of his image and legacy, must remain unfulfilled. Yes…self-restraint is an imperative.

Was it necessary? Surely.

Was it practical? Naturally.

But was it possible? How long could he go on like this as his own self-image morphed and changed before his very eyes? He had recently just identified the cause of his confusion and his change in disposition.

"Please…please be okay…" Fox rounded a corner, emerging into an unlit junction. "I'm almost there. Just hang in there…"

The vulpine head turned, searching for the way. Nearby, a door stood firm, mounted with a red glass orb in the center of the shutters. Fox grabbed and twisted the crystalline knob, trying to manually force the doors open. He pushed against the ground, angling his shoulder against the door. Slowly but surely, it started to creak open, screeching with the sound of metal on metal.

When it had finally opened enough for him to climb through, Fox slipped through the gap and emerged into the arboretum. His footsteps pounded through the dust, rustling the leaves and dashing through the foliage.

"Krystal!" He yelled. There was no response.

He gazed upwards at the domed ceiling, panels all across the room imitating the night sky and the lands beyond the woods. It was like staring into a gorgeous scene through a network of windows.

If no response had come…then something bad must have already happened. Fox readied his blaster, aiming it with both hands and creeping along the path, waltzing around treetrunks and through the grassy knolls. He pointed the barrel of the blaster wherever he gazed, with his head clear and his breathing, level. The only sound that pierced the suffocating silence was the crunching of the grass and twigs underneath his heels.

"Krystal?" Fox exhaled; from beyond the thicket, the blue vulpine sat clinging to the edge of a stone fountain, cradling her head in her arms, hanging towards the water. Without hesitation, he holstered his weapon and broke into a jog in her direction.

"Krystal! Thank heavens you're alright!" He let out, slowing down to kneel to her. His excitement disappeared when he realized that she wasn't responding to him. "Krys? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Krystal didn't immediately respond, but she tilted her head away from the water, indicating that she'd at least heard him. "How couldn't I be? I'm home at last…"

"What are you talking about? This has been your home this entire time!" Fox chuckled while saying this, trying to reassure the vixen.  
"You know that no matter what happens, you'll nev…??" He moved to sit on the fountain, holding her hands in his…but as she turned to face him, he was cut short: there was something different about her.

"What…? What happened?" Her tiara was now emitting a dim golden aura, as were the whites of her eyes. Stranger yet, all of the blue of her fur had darkened greatly, somewhere between black and its original blue hue.

"Did you…"

"We've just reestablished her place among the Cerinians." Agatio stepped out from who knew where, and casually strolled into vision. That sleek, maneless mug was the first to emerge from his pocket in space. "She always had it in her; all I did was give her a little push."

"Agatio." Fox grimaced when the lion revealed himself. "Then you did this!"

"Those eight fateful years ago, she witnessed firsthand the death of both of her parents. Her Father, Master Jasper, willingly sacrificed one of the Blood Rubies…with which he had been entrusted to guard and transport…to the one you know as Andross. He did this because he felt the Lylatean invader would spare his daughter…which he did. However, his life was taken away right in front of his own child, now left for dead in the middle of a wasteland. When Andross launched a full scale invasion against Cerinia, harvesting us for his experiments and claiming our land for his war, refugees from a nearby city were lucky enough to find her and reunite her with her mother…hiding at a rendezvous point in the next city. Her Mother, Mistress Garnet, had known ahead of time that the Oligarchy…that is, the seven of us Seers…had planned to escape the planet in one of their own captured ships as soon as both Blood Rubies were united. She took her daughter to us, hoping that they could somehow escape and live on…even though our plans were rendered meaningless.

"It was my original intent to project all of the remaining Cerinians into the astral plane and recall them as soon as was safe. But fate betrayed us when we learned of Jasper's failure…no longer did we have that option. In a fit of rage, our Psychokinetic, Onyx, killed Garnet with his bare hands, while gentle Lazu restrained the child, blocking her view. We then made the decision to bring her with us, in spite of her family's failure; along with another fellow apprentice, Topius, we hoped she would live long enough for us to find the missing blood ruby and recreate the world without sacrificing any more lives than we already had to. You see, Fox…I've already explained to you the cost of using only one Ruby. For ever life it stores in the astral plane, another life must be killed. Using the Cerinian Mystical arts, we managed to wipe out half of the Cerinian population while saving the other half. We had to…otherwise, the rest of us…even the rebels…would have succumbed to death, slavery or worse. We were lucky enough to kill most of the Venomian forces in this manner.

"The other Blood Ruby was delivered by our Vitakinetic, Lapis, who had lost her lover at the cost of the Blood Ruby's safety. She lost her sanity afterwards, and our Telepath, Azure, has continually tried to rebuild and maintain her shattering mind. The insanity she fought so hard to restrict, however, seemed to be slowly sifting into her own mind. We encountered problem after problem after problem…even little Topius had witnessed his share of horror. His parents died as well, murdered before him by our Lylatean invaders. He was forced to fight and kill for survival, not unlike your newest member. Did you know that he and Krystal were close friends as small children? Puppy love, it was…if Cerinia still sat among the stars we expect they would have been wed last year."

Fox's eyelids twitched, ignoring this statement. By now Krystal had walked over to Agatio's side, watching McCloud emotionlessly.

"Another problem we encountered was young Krystal's state of mind. With all the sudden stress and changes and tragedy, her young and pure mind was unable to cope. Left orphaned and alone to sort out her own feelings, not even Topius was able to console her. Eventually, we noticed strange and periodic changes in behavior. When confronted about her condition, she expressed no knowledge of the prior events, or even how Cerinia had been destroyed. She didn't even know who we were.

"Although astonished and bewildered at first, we realized that her mind had locked away all of these painful memories in an attempt to defend her sanity. Onyx hatched the idea to turn her into our tool…though Topius opposed it…and we used the oppurtunity to erase our most recent presence from her memories. We secretly gave her another ship we obtained from fallen Venomians, and not surprisingly, she began living on her own. Searching the universe in search of answers, in search of new life, she lived on guided by our unseen influence. Actually…on several occasions she has proven far more useful than just a sleeper cell within your world."

"So that's the whole story. That's everything that happened." Fox was stunned. "So…if what you say is true…is this the real Krystal?"

"She has not yet developed an alternate persona, if that's what you mean. It was bound to happen sooner or later, usually occurring later in a person's life. Rather, I have resurfaced and used her painful memories to _rewrite_ her personality. She is now and again a loyal member of the Cerinian Seers."

"Then what's with that glow? And why'd her fur darken?"

"A mere side effect of a little something to ensure she doesn't deviate again."

"Krystal?" Fox gazed pleadingly into her eyes, but she remained cold.

"Fox…this is the way it has to be." Krystal murmured. "It may seem cruel…but that's the nature of things. Our time together was fun, but we have to move on."

"How can you say that?" He raised his voice. "What you're doing is murder! And aren't you the one who told me life is 'transitory'? Why are you trying to defy the natural laws?"

"Fox, now you're just losing your rationale." She shook her head. "Destiny will decide if we succeed or not…just like it decided our fate last time. But until then I cannot stand by and betray one of my own. Your life is secondary, Fox McCloud."

"Krystal, you have to fight it! This isn't like you! You're under his control!"

"I'm doing this of my own volition, because this _was_ the real me all the time. I was stubborn…I was ignorant. But I feel like a burden has been lifted…I feel revitalized." She sighed. "I've made up my mind to leave Starfox…to leave Corneria. I want to build a better future for my world. Otherwise, what world will have me? No matter who accepts me…I can never truly be a part of them.  
But that's not even the real reason. I'm part of the world…it lives in me. So long as just one of us lives we will always carry the burden of an entire world on our shoulders. I'm tired of living, Fox. For nearly half my life this pain is all I've ever known. All I need is a little more strength to complete our mission…and then I can finally rest knowing that the deed is done. How could you understand, when you've only ever saved your world? You have never and will never see Corneria crumble and burn away.  
Then why do we fight when we've already lost everything? It's because this fleeting memory, this small splinter of hope is all we have left to hold on to.  
This is a fight that can be won. This is a dream that can be made a reality…and for that reason I can never give up."

"You don't know what you're saying!" Fox started towards her. "Wake up! You have to get a grip!"

The two Cerinians turned their heads towards one another and nodded. Instantly, the two of them began levitating up and away from Fox, drifting away through the trees, floating side by side. Fox picked up the pace, trying desperately to reach them.

"No! Don't go anywhere!" His thoughts returned to Krystal, hoping for her and wondering what could have been.

Nothing else mattered to him…

"Krystal!" Fox ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

Only one goal occupied his thoughts…

"I'll save you!" He extended a hand, stretching out to the great unknown.

Only one thought kept running through his mind…

_……Krystal…I never said it before…because I was too scared, too insecure. But I'm ready now…I'm ready to tell you. _

"Give up on us, Fox." Krystal peered down at him with sad eyes. "Fight for your world…not for me. Sometimes…it's stronger to let go than to fight for a fruitless cause."  
So whose cause was futile? What was the right thing to do?

She and Agatio disappeared in a rip in space, and Fox was left alone in the arboretum.

Terribly alone.


	23. Chapter 23: War Against the Night

Chapter 23: War Against the Night

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

By now, Ursa, Lance and Tora had already made it to the Great Fox. But upon arrival they found that the Cerinians had coordinated their attacks; while Azure and Onyx were busy stomping down the former three, Lapis and Lazu were busy assassinating those remaining on the Great Fox. During the confusion…Agatio had taken hold of both the Blood Ruby on Macbeth and Krystal on the Flagship.

Which meant the rumors of his cosmic powers were true…

Ursa stuck around to find Falco, while Tora retrieved Slippy and Peppy. The old hare was in critical condition; it was a miracle that he was even alive. Slippy and Falco, however, weren't much better, though still breathing.

"They took her away!" Fox grabbed Lance by the lapel and shook him frantically. "Agatio swooped in and all of a sudden...she was a different person, with the eyes and fur and all that and they floated away and…"

"Goddamnit, get a hold, Fox!" Lance slapped his hands off of his collar. "Look, if anyone can take your girl back, it's you, right?"

"Don't tell me to cool it! We gotta go! We can't just sit around and do nothing!"

He stepped back and took a deep breath. Running around like a scared child wouldn't do him any good; he had to relax and keep calm. "We're down three pilots and one hare, and ROB's no good for this kinda thing."

ROB was standing nearby, tending to Falco's wounds. He held some kind of bar emitting a light onto the bird's wing. He was in bad condition…whatever had happened, his feathers were ruffled, his head was hanging, and he could hardly move at all. Nearby, Slippy was sitting on a table: his mech had guarded him from the flames until they dispersed. He was suffering severe dehydration and heat exhaustion, but he was in the best shape of all. He was directing Tora and Ursa, helping them set up a capsule for Peppy. Since most of the energy in the Great Fox had been knocked out, they had to toss together some improvised equipment for Peppy.

Fox rushed back to Lance, placing a hand on both shoulders. "Lance! I need you, Ursa and Tora to accompany me on the way to the Cerinians and take them down!"

"We wouldn't have it any other way, buddy. But…" Ursa began. "Ole' furless here can't fly a fighter for his life. How are we gonna get him to the Cerinians like this?"

Lance remained silent. He hated his disadvantage, but seriously…he'd never had any traditional training or experience with flying machines.

"Same way we got him to and from Sauria. You'll use one of the passenger vessels in the docking bay so we can head out as soon as possible." Ursa and Lance turned to nod at one another, while Fox moved on to Tora.

"I know you're primarily a footsoldier…but how good a pilot are you?"

"I at least remember everything from the academy." Tora scratched his head. "I'm not as fancy as you guys…but I've still got a trick or two up my sleeve."

"Good enough." Fox nodded. His fidgeting was soon accompanied by his pacing up and down the floor. "So let's make this quick. What happened down there? Did you get the ruby?"

"They already nabbed it and made off with it by the time we got there." Tora growled. "Bastards…tried to kill us."

"They sent a bear and a racoon to do us in." Ursa jumped in, articulating the battle down on MacBeth. "So while the bear holds us down, the racoon goes to…"

"Wait," interrupted Fox, "was this the same racoon you guys saw before?"

"No. A new one. This one was female, and telepathic." Lance responded.

"And how did one bear hold all three of you guys down??"

"He held Ursa and me down. Disarmed us, too, and he did it all in a split second." Tora crossed his arms. "Said he manipulates matter."

"Dang…"

"So anyway…" Ursa continued, "so this racoon goes over to Lance, and he just falls over. So five seconds at the _most,_ pass, and all of a sudden she's reeling back yelling about stuff being impossible, and him being possessed and stuff, and he's waving his wand around and before I know it she's down and the bear's gone!"

Lance had scrambled the Telepath's mind beyond repair, but that obviously is something that should be kept hush-hush until the time is right. "She said her name was Azure, by the way." He glanced down at the Baroque Wand, remembering the face that had given it to him.  
_Hope you guys are doing better than I am..._

"What happened to the other one?"

"That was Onyx. He got away."

"He ran?"

"I guess he didn't know how to deal with soundwaves; never had to, probably." Lance shrugged. "So he got kinda messed up…decided to retreat for another day."

"Lucky for us, too…" Tora had become grim again. "It was pure luck on our part. That guy's a demon…way strong."

Ursa shuddered. "It's a weird feeling…when he pinned us, I mean. It was like a thousand weights were pressed up against us, but we didn't feel any of it; we just knew we couldn't do anything to fight it. It was just…eerie."

"He stomped the ground and a frickin' boulder popped out." Tora muttered. "Who the hell can do stuff like that??"

"………" Fox thought this over for a moment or two. "Sounds pretty bad…"

_So…Lapis and Lazu, the Cats…Azure, the Racoon…all defeated. Or…_

"Lance." Fox called sternly.

"Fox?"

"About Azure…" Fox turned on him, his gaze harsh and firm. "What's her status now?"

Lance knew exactly what he meant. "…exactly as she should be."

"……" Fox couldn't say anything. He was about to criticize the human for his ways…but then again, two Seers had just perished on their ship. Slippy and Falco were shaken up, though they were struggling hard not to show it.

Or perhaps their unusual calm was because they knew what they had already done to countless Venomian fighters before that. Had they come to terms with that? Had they seen firsthand the deeds they had just committed here on this ver ship?

Lance knew what they'd done. He couldn't help but wonder what was happening to them right now…what was going through their minds.

_Do Ursa and Tora know about this? They don't seem phazed at all._

"Her death was clean and humane, if that answers your question." Lance's face went cold.

He said nothing; Fox didn't know what happened down on that planet, but right now that wasn't his main concern.

"Alright…so who does that leave us?" Fox inquired.

"That leaves Onyx…Agatio…Rubio…Topius…"

"And Krystal." Up until now, Falco had mostly remained silent. He broke the silence, saying what Fox was too afraid to say.

"But she…" Fox began, "she's been taken…it's not her fault."

"Fox…" Slippy moaned. "We know how you feel. We all started this whole campaign just to help her. We're all her friends and we just want to help. But now…"

"Her mind is no longer her own." Tora interjected, arms folded, leaning against a counter. "Her soul belongs to Agatio, her very being bends now to his will."

"He's right, Fox." Lance shook his head. "I don't want to say it, but I'll say it anyway: Corneria takes first priority, and if Krystal proves to be a threat…."

"If you lay a finger on her…" Fox's fur raised and his ears lowered as he hissed at the human.

Ursa hung his head. How could they win with such conflict within the group? Lance was ready to blow everything up while Fox was ready to put Krystal before his own world.

Ironic…was Fox to follow Jasper's path?

"Whoa there, I never said I was going to…you know."

"You don't need to say it! We already know what you're planning!"

"……" It was true. The needs of many outweigh the needs of few, after all.

_Rrr…goddamnit. What have I gotten myself into?_ Lance crossed his arms. _Well then, Blackheart strikes again._

"Look." Lance started. "That girl needs your help. She needs _our_ help. Just as I've done for years…I'll do everything in my power to save her from Agatio. We all will."

Ursa and Tora positioned themselves behind him, one on either side. The two of them nodded with determination.

"I'll put my life on the line if necessary."

Fox was surprised…and jealous, truth be told. "What…? Why would _you_ risk your life for _her?_"

"Don't you remember? It's what I do." Lance pointed to himself with his thumb. It almost looked as though he was giving Fox the thumbs up.

"You said it yourself: She's innocent. She's caught in the crossfire of this conflict…and I'm just the guy for the job."

"……"

"But you know what?"

Fox looked up from his shoes and into the human's eyes. Lance had placed a hand on the vulpine's shoulder.

"I think _you're _the one she's waiting for."

Fox's eyes widened, but he couldn't help but break a smile. "Yeah…you're right!" He held up a fist in front of his face, filled with newfound zeal. "You're absolutely right!" He turned to face the rest. All of a sudden, something began welling up within him…boiling up and rising from his stomach to warm every inch of his body.

"You guys…we have to win. At all costs. But…we can't just leave a comrade behind! Krystal's a member of the team…she's family! No way we're gonna let some overgrown kitten take control of her, right?"

Falco winced, hobbling off the table and onto his feet. "Damn straight!"

Slippy lifted a pudgy fist into the air. "No one messes with Starfox!"

Ursa grinned and released a mighty belly laugh. "Let's show 'em what we're made of!"

Tora shrugged, but joined in nevertheless. "The bigger they are…"

Lance drove a fist into his open palm. "We're with you every step of the way, Fox."

"You guys…" Fox crossed his arms, standing erect. "Thank you."

He strolled over to where Peppy lay in his makeshift capsule, and put a hand on the sleeping hare's shoulder. "ROB, you look after him while we're gone. Falco…you're in too bad a condition to continue on foot. I know it's too much to ask…but can you still pilot your Arwing?"

"Piece-a cake, bro." Falco punched Fox's shoulder, though none too hard.

"Slippy, what about you?"

"I can go, Fox. My job's not done yet!" Slippy announced enthusiastically. He was showcasing more energy than he could use.

"I can't thank you guys enough." Fox nodded. "But now's not the time for that, is it?"

Everyone shook their head 'no.'

"Heh…yeah, we'd best shove off now."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Persistent…aren't they?" A light blue gem glinted in the darkness, as a set of eyes opened up beneath the shine. "In a way…they aren't all that different from us."

"These are sad circumstances, no?" A sickly pale blue fox responded. "Most of us share that sentiment…so why does it have to be this way? Just because Agatio and two followers say so?"

"Young Topius…good and evil are defined by who has the most power. This happens to be Master."

"But look where it led us! Azure…Lapis…Lazu…all dead. How much time does that leave the rest of us?"

Two Seers stood in a room filled with a softly pulsating red light. Rubio and Topius stood conversing…awaiting the return of their master. "Ha…what time? We died long ago…we shouldn't be standing here…not a one of us." His eyes narrowed in sorrow, dropping to the ground. "There is no hope…there is no real way for us to win."

"Do you think…Master Agatio is simply…?"

"NO, no…don't say such things." Rubio glanced over his shoulder. "He will claim mutiny."

"What about you?" He tilted his head, narrowing his eyes on the racoon. "Ever since those two defeated you…it's like you've become a new person."

"Well…I suppose you could say they taught me something."

"What might that be?"

"One thing that most people don't know about Espers…about seeing the future…it hardens you after a while." He dropped to his knees and fell back into a sitting position. "Do you know what that's like? Seeing the future? Knowing everything before it happens?"

"I can't say that I do."

"What would you do? If you knew everyone's answer before they did…if you knew what the weather tomorrow would be like…if you knew what others long to know. How would you feel?"

"I suppose I would revel in it."

"No…no no no." Rubio shook his head. "You stop caring."

He took a glance at the Blood Ruby, hanging there in the center of that magnificent ballroom. "If you know everything…if there are no surprises…what if you could know joy and delight even before you feel it? And if you knew what fate had in store for you, why resist? Why bother? Life loses meaning."

"This is why you follow his orders?" It actually made sense to Topius. "It hadn't occurred to me."

"But…suppose that everything you know…everything you try to fulfill because you see it in fate everyday…suppose it doesn't happen. Such was the case during my confrontation against _that human._" He emphasized the last words with particular distaste.

"I saw every movement…every motion and every attack before it came. Every single time I knew that these blades would pierce his flesh…I knew because I foresaw the cuts and the injuries. I foresaw his death." He pulled out an unusually shaped blade to inspect it. It was completely unstained. "But…he always managed to escape his fate. How can that _deduction_ possibly achieve what a Seer cannot?"

"Perhaps you haven't even tried yet."

"Exactly my point!" Rubio aimed the blade at Topius. "_Why_ bother?"

"But…"

"My friend…I am bound to fate, am I not?"

"You feel inclined to resolve to your own fate?"

"I feel inclined to disobey…to live in peace is what I want; not to fight for a futile and reckless cause."

"You feel rebellion will release you from this endless spiral?"

"Loyalty has gotten me nowhere. And in the years of our extinction, tradition should no longer bound us. Does that make any sense to you?"

"Somewhat…though I can't help but think there must be another way out. If we live among the Cornerians as you and Lazu said earlier…don't you think we could repopulate?"

"Even if we did…what would be the point? Nothing will bring back our world…we will only adopt a new culture, traditions, our ways, casting aside everything that defines us as Cerinian. I cannot live like that."

"Well it seems your mind is made up."

"And what about you? What do you plan to do?" Rubio sheathed his blades, reclining as best he could on his perch. "What are your thoughts on all of this?"

"I'd have to disagree with your motives, my friend…I think the best place for me to be is here among the few who matter to me." Topius began pacing nervously.

"You mean with the _person_ who matters most to you."

"Her? There is no longer any use for such longings."

"You seemed so hopeful before."

"It was no more than a childhood friendship." His ears lowered. "Deep down inside…I had always hoped for more…but fate has drawn her to this dreadful system…and against her own will she has been delivered back to us."

"And now that Agatio is retrieving the aforementioned admiree…"

"She is no longer herself, now just a part of our master's own will."

"I see now." Rubio sniffled and rubbed his nose. "Without her own freedom, you feel it futile to aspire to that childhood dream. You're just going to give up on her, then?"

"Unlike you…I'm _still_ a fatalist." Topius began pacing. "Agatio's will is much stronger than that human's own. You are not to him…as Agatio is to you. There is no way she will regain her sense of self…and if she did, what then?"

"It seems, my friend, that we are given few options in these trying times." Rubio stood to his feet. "I can no longer live like this."

"It would do you well, Rubio, to cast aside all thoughts of mutiny." The air rippled, and Agatio stepped forth. "You still doubt your path? I always knew you were too weak inside…but now, even more so than ever before. It pains me to see this aboard our own…"

Krystal stepped out from behind the Lion, eyes glowing gold, fur darkened. "Perhaps you could 'enlighten' him…like you did me."

"Mistress Krystal." Topius bowed…though very grim in nature. "At last you've returned."

"And just in time." Rubio glared at Agatio. He was still useful; no harm would come to him just yet. "You see…Master Onyx isn't doing too well."

"I beg your pardon?" Agatio narrowed his eyes.

"Neither are Azure, Lapis or Lazu. The three in question are now dead. Onyx was forced to flee from Ursa Grylls, Tora Mclellan and Lance Callahan."

The lion growled in rage. Dust began slowly billowing away from the ground at his feet. "How is this possible? Two of our most powerful…bested by Cornerians? Bested by a defenseless savage??"

Krystal cooly glanced over at him, seemingly apathetic towards his building rage.

"He wasn't defenseless." Rubio remained calmly defiant. "You saw him yourself."

"That object is a toy! Nothing more!" Agatio was referring to the Baroque Wand. He could only wonder where the human had obtained such an item.

"Well evidently…that toy bested both Azure and Onyx."

"How in the world did he break from Azure's Limbo?"

"To tell you the truth…I haven't the slightest idea. To top it off, Onyx is injured and on the run in that same base. Until he reaches the hole you left him, he is highly vulnerable."

Agatio clenched his fists, but forced them loose, inhaling deeply. "And what of Lapis? Lazu?"

"Defeated one-on-one by the Falco Lombardi and Slippy Toad, respectively."

"This cannot be…"

"Oh, it be." Rubio insisted, taking a step closer to Agatio. "They're never coming back, either. Not through any means." During this last statement, he aimed one of his swords towards the Blood Ruby.

"What do you think?" Agatio addressed Topius. "The Cornerians are coming to claim our lives…we only have moments to spare."

"The only thing we can do: fight back." Topius reported grimly. "When they get here, divide and conquer."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Five Arwings blazed through space. Guided by Fox McCloud, his thrusters illuminating the space directly behind him, it almost looked as though they were rushing towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, all they could do was wait until they reached their destination…wait until they arrived at the Cerinian refugee ship.

This was the last stand…they had barely had any time to recover, and they couldn't afford to make the time. Now, there was no grand mystery to solve, nothing to protect from the enemy; there was only the race against time.

"Fox to Falco. How're you holding up?"

"Couldn't be better." He groaned. "Can't wait to go back home."

"Slippy? What's your status?"

"Ready to go!"

"Tora?"

"Oh, I can hardly wait." He mused.

Sarcasm, of course.

"Ursa? Lance?"

"Just a wee bit cramped in here, but it's all good." Ursa nodded and looked over his shoulder, where Lance was seated in a chair behind him. He was piloting somewhat of a passenger vessel, as usual. Lance had yet to learn any piloting.

"Can't complain." Muttered the human.

"I hope everyone's prepared, because there's no turning back now."

Eventually, they did arrive at the ship. Fox, Lance, Ursa and Tora ventured on foot while Slippy and Falco continued scouting the outside of the ship in case air support became necessary.

"So who are the two best footsoldiers here?" Fox inquired. "If we split up into two, we'll be able to find the Blood Ruby more quickly."

"No way!" Ursa shook his head violently. "Lance and I just barely stepped by against Rubio…so how are we gonna stand up to them divided like this?"

"Yeah, I don't think it'd be such a good idea to split up like this." Lance nodded. "With my little buddy here, I've got an edge on Rubio, and maybe even Krystal…" he held up the ornate conductor's baton, "but there's no guarantee against Onyx or Agatio."

"You might close the gap with Onyx…somewhat…but if we split up we're through for sure." Tora folded his arms. "Not that grouping would do much of a difference…but it seems wiser."

"But that Onyx guy's got some explosive power." Ursa noted. "If we stay too close, we'd all go out in an instant."

"Then we'll travel in a group, but we'll fan out." Fox answered. "Let's head out now…but keep wary. We all set?"

Everyone nodded.

"Good…but this door here…" Fox found himself at the same door he encountered on his last visit. It was strangely out of place…a large, stone gate covered in hieroglyphs, merging into the modernized, metallic design of the ship. "I remember this door…"

"The hell…" Lance scanned the docking bay, observing as the modern appearance slowly faded into the Cerinian style door. "It's like the ship is morphing."

"So…you were here before?" Tora mused, equally as perplexed as Lance.

"Yeah, it was when they dropped _this one_ off at my place." Ursa jerked his head towards Lance. "While we were back home getting slashed up, Fox and company were here gathering info."

Just like before, a knothole in the center of the doorway revealed two imprints in the shape of hands.  
"See if this works just like before…" He placed both of his hands in the imprints, and focused for a few moments, hoping to move it like Krystal had last time.

"……" Fox remained at that spot, diligently concentrating while everyone stared from over his shoulder.

"Do you mind??"

"What exactly are you doing?" Tora raised an eyebrow.

"It should be opening up!" Fox retracted his hands, lowering his ears in irritation.

"Why isn't it opening up?"

Lance walked over to place his hands in the slots. He sat there staring, but again nothing happened. Ursa came next, but his hands were too big, and Tora just snorted at their worthless attempts.

"Wait a minute…" Ursa walked over to the door and began pushing on it. "Nope. Never mind."

"So how are we supposed to get inside?" Fox shrugged. Lance, who happened to be standing next to him at the time, tapped on his shoulder a few times.

"Heh? What is it?"

"Well what if…" Lance pointed to the Arwings.

"What about it?"

"You wouldn't happen to have a smart bomb or two loaded on there, would you?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"And that is the LAST time I'll take advice from Lance."

"Hey, it got us in, didn't it?"

"It blew a freaking hole in the ship! Now everyone knows we're here!"

"What, like they wouldn't have known before?"

"We should have crawled through the airvents or something…that would have been more covert, wouldn't it? I thought that was your style, _huh Lance??_"

"Deception is the basis of all warfare. But with two Espers and a Grandmaster with them, there's no hiding. So what's the point?"

"Will you two shut up already?" Tora hissed. "Keep it down, if they know that they're here, that doesn't mean they know where we are."

"_Again_, they've got Rubio…" grumbled Ursa. "It's only a matter of time."

"You know what, Ursa? You know what??"

"You shut up, too." The bear retorted. "You're so pessimistic I'd be amazed if you make it through this mission in one piece."

"Hey, Lance." Fox muttered. "I've been wondering something."

"Shoot."

"I've been wondering…why are you going so far to help us? Why go to the lengths for people you hardly even know?"

"What? Why wouldn't I?" He spoke as if Fox was nuts.

"Well, I just think it odd that the first time you arrive here in the Lylat system you immediately save two lives at the risk of your own, and then you go out of your way to help us out on Sauria again. What's more, you're helping us deal with these Cerinians in spite of the fact that twice you were nearly killed, and you're even willing to put up your own life so Krystal can live. That just makes no sense."

"………" he had no answer to it. "I guess that's just the kinda guy I am."

"Really, Lance, what's the reason?" Fox persisted. "Is it just a human thing?"

"No, it's not that."

"Then why?"

"……well…maybe I'll tell you one day."

"Why not now? It's because of your name, isn't it? Blackhearted **Hero**?"

"I'm no hero."

"You're just being humble."

"You would know, wouldn't you, hero?"

"…" Fox smiled. "I was so busy thinking about your weapons and violence and stuff, I didn't stop to think about stuff like that.

"But still…" Fox continued. "Aren't you stressed out about…you know…now you're the Cosmic Castaway…an alien. I can't imagine living life away from home, away from my own system, away from everything I've ever known…if it were me, I think heroism would be the last thing on my mind."

"Whether I like it or not, Fox…this is my home now."

Everyone was silent after that.


	24. Chapter 24: Theory of Rubio

Chapter 24: Ballroom Blitz; Theory of Rubio

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Okay, do you know where you're going?" Ursa muttered to Fox.

By now they had been scouring the ship, lurking this way and that for what felt like an eternity. It couldn't have been very long, but they were already lost in this intricate labyrinth.

"…" Fox looked around, trying to figure out the layout of the vessel based on Venomian blueprints. But because of the Seers' "redecorating job," everything looked all out of whack, and he couldn't make heads or tails of the place.

"To be honest…I really don't have any idea."

The others stared blankly at him, waiting for his next orders.

"Trust me, guys…we'll find them in no time." He stood there for a few moments, thinking carefully, examining the great hallway extending beyond them. The dim light seemed to follow them, glowing softly on the walls on either side of them, disappearing into the air above. The ceiling reached up a great deal further than the width of the corridor, giving it the appearance of an old cathedral. Statues guarded the halls, a line on each wall, sentinels distributed every few yards, staring down its counterpart on the opposite wall.

"We can't just keep running around like this." Lance glanced around as well. "We've got to come up with some way to track them down.

"Don't you know how to track?"

"Why would I? **Urban** Soldier, remember?"

"What ever happened to that massive human brainpower?" Tora prodded fun at him.

"Oh, you wanna see brainpower?" Lance scowled and held up the baton. "Then we'll use this."

"I get it...you're gonna amplify soundwaves with that, aren't you?" Fox nodded in approval.

"I did something like that while facing against the bear." He aimed the item, observing it's unique design.

"Don't nobody make a sound." Pointing it towards the wall, slowly turning as the point always aimed towards a new target, he scanned around himself in a complete 360 degree turn, and even walked around his comrades to avoid picking up their heartbeat. But he found nothing.

"Uh……hang on a sec."

He began turning once more, scanning for sound a second time. This time, he aimed it over his head and towards the ground below to try to extend his threshold.

"Hey, I got something." He aimed the wand at an angle towards the next junction. "Something's pulsating…there are some really faint vibrations in the distance."

"Great job!" Fox held up his fist to indicate his approval. The fist turned into a finger, pointing where Lance had just directed them to go. "Let's head off. And Lance, keep tabs on where we're going next."

"Roger."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The four of them dashed off, jogging towards a goal they couldn't see but could only hope for. "Round the corner right here."

They were all scared, in varying degrees. Ursa was busy trying to envision the dozens of ways he would die…would Rubio divide them with his steel? Would Onyx rip them to shreds without even touching them? Who knew what Agatio would try…with the ability to bend the very fabric of space, the possibilities were endless. And what about Krystal? How powerful was she because of the Lion's influence? Poor thing…she was enslaved within the depths of her own mind, unable to escape the will of her superiors.

Tora, on the other hand, still couldn't really believe what he was a part of. He came relatively late into the game, unable to come to terms with the current situation. "Just like old times, eh, Ursa?"

"Guess so. Infiltration…shoot and run…just like Titania."

"If some psycho lizard jumps out at me again I'm gonna wipe the floor with him this time."

"Geez…you talking about Lizards?" Lance interjected. "Ever had a 400 lb SharpClaw charge you like a train?"  
He was, of course, referencing his encounter with General Scales.

"I'd-a squashed him like an eggshell." Tora snickered. It was a nervous giggle, but he needed it right now. "Hell, this lizard was just like you. A deranged maniac when he fought…put his enemies' death before his own safety."

"Well, I'm filled with hope and joy now." They could only hope that they would make it out alive.

_These guys are counting on me. Their trust and their lives rest on my shoulders. Can't let them down…this isn't about any one of us.  
__I can't show weakness…I can't rest until this is over._

"Wait a sec…" Fox rounded the corner, and a faint, red glow peeked out from around the outline of a stone statue.

"That's unusual…"

"Everything's been all dark so far. Look at that shine…must mean something's up." Ursa mumbled.

"Won't know till we find out, eh?" Tora nudged the bear before creeping towards the light.

"Keep on your toes, guys." Fox muttered. "You never know what they're gonna pull next."

The four of them approached the light. When they rounded the next corner, they found that the glow was seeping out from behind more double doors. Only the outline of the doorframe and the small space between was visible, as the crimson light reaching from said spaces like bloody tendrils blackened the actual doors themselves. "This can't be good…"

As the four of them approached the door, the cracks began to widen as the gate opened up on its own. Millions of rays of the pink and scarlet light flashed forth, blinding the four until it died down, throbbing and pulsing in rhythmn with those villains the quartet was tracking down.

"This is the place. Wonder what's here?" Muttered Lance.

The light began to subside and soften on their eyes, revealing a grand, circlular ballroom of sorts with a finely crafted, ceiling-high window on the back side of the room, where the floor was raised several steps. The stained-glass window depicted a beastial, lionesque monster with its teeth bared and its claws raised. The ceiling itself was nearly three stories high…and hanging from the center was…

"Whoa…look at that!" Ursa's eyes widened, and he pointed a finger towards what appeared to be a large gem descending from the ceiling, hung on a chain like a chandelier.

"Is that….?"

"It's blood red. It's a ruby." Lance raised an eyebrow. "Looks like we found what we're looking for…so how do we crush it?"

"You _don't_." The doors closed behind them, and standing in front of the window was none other than Rubio, the Seers' esper. Standing by his side was a much more frail, younger looking fox. His fur was so light as to almost sport a silver color.  
"At least not until I've given my two cents."

"It's you…" Ursa hissed, ready to fight the racoon. "Don't think we've forgotten last time! We're gonna kick your sorry tail for all your misdeeds, eh Lance?"

"Damn straight, Ursa." Lance pulled out the Baroque Wand, ready to conduct a bone-crushing symphony.

But then…another voice bellowed from off sides. Everyone turned to meet that face…but instead faced a giant slab of earth soaring in their direction. They all leaped away, dispersing from the rock. Ursa ran to the side, Tora vaulted directly over it, Lance rolled away, and Fox fell to the ground to duck under its trajectory.

"Well, well, well…look who decided to joined the fray."

"Onyx!" Three voices yelled out all at once. Ursa, Lance and Tora all stood up, facing the ursine terror.

And there he stood…looming over them all. More than eight feet tall, strong, angry and full of conviction. Black lines tattooed into his fur denoted where the standard tiara would rest, ending at the round, red ruby embedded into his forehead, writhing with a menacing glimmer. Heavy, brass bracelets adorned his forearms, clinking with every step he made. His heavy adornments were a testament to his tremendous strength, further augmented by his ungodly psychokinetic powers.

"Hmph. I was caught off guard last time, and there is no excuse for that. This time, however…I prepared myself for any sound-based attacks the Cosmic Castaway can deal, and for any energy-based weaponry you Cornerians may use. You have seen your last daylight."  
He turned his head to address the racoon.  
"Rubio! Take our young one out of here. Make sure nothing happens to him."

Rubio didn't respond; he just glanced over his vulpine friend, and turned back around to unsheath his swords.

"Guys…" Fox tried to keep strong and courageous, even though he only really half-believed they could all make it out alive. "Don't hold back…don't give up…"

"…trust your instincts. Right?" Lance nodded.

No response came, as a series of chords and pipes came bursting from the ground, fragments of earth and steel zipping through the air like a swarm of bees. The cords, coinciding with Onyx's physical movements, lashed around and whipped towards the four.

Fox and Tora raised blasters, Ursa raised his fists and Lance, his baton. But none of them responded before the pipe suddenly divided into two and missed them by several feet.

"???" Ursa glanced around wildly, glancing behind the group. "What just happened??"

In front of them, between the four and their adversary, stood none other than Rubio, the Seer. One sword was raised, denoting the exact path that was cut into the pipes.

"Rubio…" the bear growled. "You fool!!" He thrust a huge paw in his direction, and the racoon leaped away; even though he was at least ten feet away, the air burst and rippled where the seer had previously stood, smashing the ground where his feet rested.

Rubio ended up dangling from an extention of the Blood Ruby's chandelier. From here, he glared down at the scene below, aiming his sword at them.

"Onyx…we have suffered long enough. We've defied **the** universal law, rebelled against the cosmic order…and for what? What has it brought us?"

"You **idiot!!**" He roared, voice reaching it's peak. "Are you going to give up now that the end is in sight? You're a disgrace!! A coward!! A traitor!! Just like Jasper, Garnet and the other pack of worms! Come down there before I rip you to shreds! I'll paint the walls with your blood, you insolent…"

"Such violence, Master Onyx. The Cornerians have no such thoughts, do they?" He adjusted his head to look down on them. "Do they not deserve life more than we who have been chosen to pass on?"

"Wha…? Are you **mad?!**" Onyx bellowed. He was at a loss for words, but the dust was billowing away from his feet. Not a good sign to see in one so powerful.

"If you wish to kill me now, then do so? Why do you hesitate?" Rubio lifted a sword over his head to point at the ruby. "You fear for this dud, don't you?"

"Dud?" This time, Topius spoke. "What do you mean by that? This object alone carries all our hopes and dreams! Our future…our past! It's everything we need!"

"I disagree. And I will not allow us to continue along this destructive path!" Without another word, he climbed higher and slashed one wire. With that, the gem jerked downwards several yards. He cut a second wire, and it came tumbling down, now suspended at most ten feet from the ground.

"Relax, all of you." Rubio stepped forward, lowering off the platform. "This time…Just listen to what I have to say."

Topius extended an arm in desperation, as if to pull him back. "Rubio…it's not too late to reconsider!"

"So this is the guy who attacked you back on Corneria?" Fox mumbled to Lance.

"Looks kinda scrawny to me…" Tora shrugged.

"Yeah, that's him." Lance replied. "No idea who the kid behind him is, though."

The Seer ignored his younger cohort. "You there: Human."

Lance perked up, mildly surprised. "What?"

Rubio stared at him for several moments, both with curiosity and envy. "Back on that day…back when we fought…every time I acted on a prediction, you adapted to my response. You couldn't see the future as I could, but you could fight nonetheless. And every time you adapted, my predictions changed. Throughout the battle…I constantly saw visions of your death…I saw my blades cutting through you, defeating you…each attack would be the final strike. But it never came to pass."

"So what? If you saw it…an unfulfilled prophecy can only mean…"

"That's right…do you know what I also foresaw? Each and every one of you…and each of your friends…Krystal as well…you all have wonderful lives ahead of you. Past all this conflict and wars soon to come…you all have splendid times to look forward to. Except…"

He pointed a sword at Lance.

"…for you."

"Huh?"

The other three turned to stare at him, as if _he_ could tell them the future like the Cerinian could.

"Your very presence here in this system will be your own undoing. Why did you try to survive? Those 48 years ago, you could have rested! But now…it won't matter what path in life you choose…will you continue on your way as a villainous hero? A cold-blooded killer? Or will you reject your humanity and assimilate to this new world?"

Lance could find no response; he found himself morbidly curious of the prophet.

"No matter where you run or what you do…your destiny is filled with woe. Unlike Krystal…you may not be able to adjust. Yes…even you…a human…the epitome of evolution, will not be able to adapt. How does that make you feel?"

Lance continued staring for a few moments. He couldn't quite process it…or figure out what he meant. The only 'adaption' that came to mind was his getting out of the habit of shooting any thug who crossed his path.

What else could there be?

"………"

"In your own words, you are an imperfect soldier, Mr. Callahan." Rubio sheathed his blade. "You would do well to remember this conversation."

He turned to face his former colleague, who likewise, remained in a state of silent rage throughout the speech.

"Onyx? Are you going to continue this vicious cycle? There is only one way it will end…you won't like the outcome."

"You're going to challenge _him,_ aren't you?" He was referring to Agatio.

"Challenge? Haha…" he chuckled in good nature, but his mood was grim. "I'm resigning to my fate. Just like a fatalist…just like me, isn't it?"

"……"

"Topius?" Rubio glanced at the fox. "Will you stay? Your own dreams have already been shattered, haven't they?"

The fox bowed his head. "Well, the future isn't definite, as you have shown me…it makes me wonder what I should do now…it's a shame, isn't it?" He turned his head towards Fox McCloud.

"I envy him…I really do. Haha…look at me. No matter what happens…you're right. There is no right end to this. What would be the point? She'll never accept me under these conditions. And if they win…I won't be around to be accepted. What a sordid tale…"

He smiled, with an almost mystical expression in his face. "I'll accompany you, my friend."

Onyx, upon hearing this…simply screamed. His beastial voice manifested into what would almost sound like a real bear's roar.

"And here I am…fighting for the good of my people…sticking my neck out while you're fighting for one _girl? A traitor?!_"

_I see…so that white fox is only in this for Krystal._ Lance thought to himself, watching Fox intently. _I guess the two have something in common, then. But that guy…has no clue what it's like to be a leader…to have duties and responsibilities._

**"GRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"** Onyx roared again, this time shaking the entire room and levitating himself into the air.

**"You'd better be dead by the time I'm through with these insects, Topius…because I'll murder you if I find you…and I'll take my time; you'll suffer your parents' fate! And you'll suffer worse than Mistress Garnet!!"**

Rubio gripped Topius by the arm as the two nodded towards eachother. They stepped back onto a glyph of sorts and disappeared. Even so…Rubio's voice remained to deliver one final word of advice.

"Heed me, Hero…you've taught me an important final lesson: The future isn't written in stone. Save yourself while you still can, human."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Hrmph. A worthless gesture." Onyx grumbled, broken fragments of the marble tile floating around him and ascending to the ceiling. "How can you save yourself? I'm going to **torture the lot of you!** And when you're dead, I swear I'll crawl down to hell myself to further your suffering!"

"Oh shit!" Ursa's voice reached a hysterical tone, and his mind was racing to figure out a solution.

"Hey…Lance." Tora crept near the human. "I know we haven't known eachother for nearly a week…but I gotta say: I'm glad I finally met an alien. I'm a fanatic you know. Just…wanted to let you know. Last words, I guess…I enjoyed our conversations. You…me…Ursa."

"Yeah, yeah…me, too." Lance shook his head, 'no.' Unlike Ursa, he was much more level-headed; he had been 'reprogrammed' to let go of all thoughts and emotions at times like these. It was essential to knock down all traces of fear in the face of death. But still...not even two Special-Ops and a would-be Black-Op might be able to handle this.

His partners knew this…but they'd been out of commission for too long. Tora was at least trying to cool himself.

"Wait a minute…" Lance was about to direct Fox on something…but they were interuppted by a sudden burst of flame, blazing in their direction.

"Whoashi…!" Ursa was barely schorched, and most everyone else made it out okay.

_God! That's new!_

"Fox!" Lance yelled. "Get to the glyph!"

"What? What glyph? What do you mean??"

"Rubio just disappeared…you can take it, too! Get out of here!"

He dodged a wave of stone, this time, while Onyx went after Tora.

"What?? How do you know where it'll take me?"

Lance ducked behind a pillar to exchange some final words with Fox. "Where did he say he was heading to? Come on, how many other Seers are there on this ship?"

"!!!" Fox's eyes widened. He said nothing more; just nodded and put a hand on his comrade's shoulder. No words came, but his eyes said it all: Full of determination, he was grateful and full of resolve.

The vulpine hopped to his feet and dashed off before Onyx could see him. His world darkened as soon as his foot hit the edge of the glyph, and the last thing he saw was the twisted, warped lion on the stain glass window towering before him.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Gah!" Fox tumbled out into a much more narrow hallway. The ceiling was significantly lower, and the whole stretch was composed entirely of stone. No carpets, no marble, no gold or other metals…just simple stone.

"Mph…" He heaved himself off the ground, observing the wall he had apparently just hopped out of.

"Just like the shrines back on Sauria…" he muttered, dusting himself off. _I wonder where I am now?_

He readily stepped forward, aiming his blaster wherever his eyes lay, hugging the wall to avoid any obvious detection.  
It didn't do much; his footsteps echoed throughout the corridor, and a gentle breeze howled through the air.

_Not much here…/I He thought to himself. ILooks like this hallway stretches out forever._ He sighed heavily, glancing upwards. _But there's wind somewhere…even though we're out in space? I dunno…seems like they've messed up every other natural law…but there must be some kind of open space near here._

The hall finally ended after ten minutes of walking, leading into what could only be described as a throneroom. The ceiling stretched much higher than it did in the hallway, with rows of banners hanging down, each one depicting a different species of Cerinian; the first four he could see displayed a wolf, snake, owl and tiger. Through the center of the room, a long row of dark blue tiles sitting in a decline in the ground denoted where the carpet would be. Around the outer edge of the tiles lay small lanterns, spread out evenly all the way to the throne at the end of the room. The walls were no more than a series of pillars, opening doorways in arcs along the whole length. Beyond the boundaries lay an endless field…with green grass and rolling hills, swallowed in the night.

Fox continued to walk, eyes darting every which way in a mix of curiosity and anxiety. He was awestruck, yet deep inside the fear gnawed at him. For ahead of him…he could clearly see the throne. Though three football fields away, he could easily make out the shapes extending from the wooden chair like swirling clouds and tree branches. Sitting behind this grand structure, the light of the Cerinian moon poured through, fracturing into hundreds of white rays of light, littering the threshold with the throne's dark shape. Minutes later, as he drew nearer yet, he could make out golden flakes hung from these 'branches,' depicting leaves, fruits and other appendages. Even though it was still far away, he could see that the seat was unoccupied.

He took a moment to kneel down and establish communication with one of his partners in the air. He tapped a few buttons on his arm band, resting another arm on a nearby lantern. "Slippy? Falco? Can you hear me?"

"What…? Fox?" Slippy's voice jumped excitedly. "Is that you? Hey, Falco, wake up! Fox is online!"

"Hn…huh, what?" Falco's voice rose quickly, implying he had dozed off for some time. "Did we win? Did I miss out?"

"No…not yet." Fox shook his head. "Hey…were you sleeping just now?"

"I'm bored, Fox. And exhausted. What else am I gonna do till I can start whooping tail again?"

"Whatever…I've got an update for you. Get this: two of the Seers deviated."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that they've _defected_. They could have killed us…but instead they saved us once and ran off to…well, they said that they were going to go face down Agatio."

"That's great! Who were they?" Slippy inquired.

"One of them was the racoon who attacked Lance and Ursa. The other…I wasn't aware of this guy…he was a white fox about Krystal's age."

"Huh…so there might be more! There's still hope!" Falco yelled gleefully. He still wanted in on the action.

"Oh, I _really_ hope there aren't. Now that I think of it, though…Agatio said there were only seven of them besides Krystal. Which must mean…no, there aren't any more."

"Aw…"

"But hey…the real reason I called you guys is that I need backup."

"……what happened to the other three?"

"……" Fox remained silent for a few moments. "I…I'm not sure if they'll make it. They're up against Onyx…you know, the guy who attacked them back on MacBeth."

"Uh-oh…" Slippy groaned. "That doesn't sound too good…"

"Their first priority is to destroy that blood ruby. They were fighting in the same room where we found that one."

"Well, it looks like they're still alive…" Falco hummed, "the status bars here say that their contacts are still emitting signals. Should we contact…"

"No, don't do that. If they're still fighting, that would be the worst timing. And if they're dead…Onyx might be able to find me."

"So what are we supposed to do?"

"If you guys can get to me…do that as soon as possible."

"Lemme pull up a chart…see if I can analyze where you are." Squeaked the toad. "Well…looks like you're almost directly below us."

"_Below_ you?"

"Well, we can't just waste fuel for an hour. We had to dock somewhere. We're somewhere around the helm of the ship."

"Good…can you get inside? Is there any entrance or window or something for you guys?"

"Well…" Slippy hesitated for a moment, mumbling to himself. "Falco, you see that lip in the armor over there?"

"Uh…wait." Falco sniffled. "Yeah, I see it. The one right next to you?"

"The same."

"Looks like an entrance…but we don't even know if the ship is operational."

"You just leave that to me!"

"So you guys finish with that soon as you can. Okay?" Fox persisted. "I've got no choice but to continue on, but I need you guys to meet up with me as soon as you can, y'hear?"

"Roger!" "Right on!"

The two of them acknowledged his orders and the link closed, leaving Fox to himself again.

"Well…here goes." Fox stood up, dusted himself off, and continued on. More casual and open than before, he felt that he could appreciate the scenery without the fear that another Seer lurked around every corner.

"!!!" the vulpine's blood froze in his veins. Sticking out of the ground in front of the throne, arranged in an X formation lay Rubio's two blades.

"Those are…" Fox ran up to the throne to examine the swords. He lay his hands on them…they were still warm from their master's firm grip.  
_Oh no...Rubio..._

"Hup…" He grasped firmly, twisting and pulling, and with a jerk he managed to pry one of them from the stone.

"This is some nice craftsmanship…" He examined the sword, holding it up in the air, staring up at it. He stood directly in the center of the shadow cast by the moon, grasping that old sword before the threshold.

"If those three succeed…we'll only have one more of you guys to worry about."

He examined his reflection in the clean, cold steel. He looked just like a storybook hero.  
_I can't lose. I can't lose. Failure is not an option._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Looks like you're down one Fox." Onyx growled. "So what do you plan to do now?"

Onyx crouched towards the ground, one hand rested on the floor, the other one held palm up. Fingers began curling around that particular hand containing some unseen material.

"Use those soundwaves of yours…it won't do you any good. They resonate through solids, don't they? Certain solids, at least. Not even the sound, really…just the vibration."

"You been doing your homework?" Lance mocked, sending a blast of sound in his direction. The Seer responded by raising two thick walls of fine grains of the earth around him.

"Just because we aren't a technological race…doesn't mean we aren't scientific!" The walls dropped back into the ground as the bear stood back up. "Don't expect ignorance from us!"

_Hey, wait a minute…that hand…_

Lance recalled back to their first encounter: Onyx had previously shot off a series of some kind of tiny, red projectile. He spotted them only before the Seer actually shot them, but he just now realized what they were.

_Is he using his own blood??_ Onyx was somehow extracting his own blood from his finger tips, strengthening the droplets and launching them from his own two hands.

"Guys…better watch out." He relayed the message through the baroque. "The guy's shooting off blood bullets…see his hand?"

"Yeah, I see it." Ursa yelled from the other side of the room. He lifted his blaster and fired away, while Tora tried to shoot in close. Neither of them succeeded, as Onyx disappeared into the ground and resurfaced just several meters away from Lance.

"Eeyah!" he felt three punctures in his left arm where those droplets must have pierced. He could still move and control his arm, but the pain appeared to be the main purpose of the attack.

_I wish he'd reemerge…it's going to be impossible to have any kind of effect on that guy when he's constantly underground like that. And he must know how to block out sound, judging by his last maneuver…_

He whirled around to send some waves through the ground, but Onyx only resurfaced again to rocket out of a wall and straight towards Ursa. He would have been crushed, too, if he hadn't ducked in time.

"Wah! Help me out, here!"

"Hahaha…it can't have been even a minute! And already you're losing your heads!" Onyx chortled. "How long can this last? Can you endure it all?"

His voice echoed throughout, thereby concealing his position. But naturally…Onyx's nature possessed all the subtlety of a carpetbomb. Consequently, he made his appearance using a similar tactic.

"Can you keep up with this?" He must have been carrying some extra materials…because Lance had no clue how he could have created a series of explosions with just Matter-Manipulating abilities. There was no way.

_Unless it's just a rapid expansion? Maybe he's just dissentigrating the material or something? Who knows…what if he has a few devices on him? Wouldn't be surprised if those weird looking bracelets have anything to do with it._

"Lance! Do something!" Ursa jogged around the room, avoiding explosions that seemed to blow up wherever his feet hit the ground. "This is nuts! This guy's crazy, I tell you…Crazy!"

"Just keep shooting!" He shrieked. Tora, similarly, was running in circles trying not to get fried.

_This is retarded…I gotta find some way to end this! No…there's no way we can win, right? But why should I care? All we need to do to save Corneria is destroy one blood ruby. Just one. This one. We're just here to destroy that thing._

He looked up at the blood ruby, throbbing like a cold, crystalline heart.

_Yeah…eyes on the prize._

It was only a matter of moments for the ursine Seer to retaliate again.

Tora heaved. "We can't even touch this guy! I say we book it just like Fox did!"

Ursa whirled to face the glyph where Fox had entered. Naturally…it was gone. Blown to kingdom come. "Aw, damnit…" the two of them moaned.

"What's wrong?" Onyx taunted. "Can't take the heat?"

He had noticed they were talking while running...while fighting. Not smart."

_All we need to do is destroy the blood ruby! I can keep him on his toes as long as I got this with me…_ He sent of an air concussion using the Baroque Wand. Compressed air released right in Onyx's face as soon as he lifted a shield. It was a minor blast, and it was only enough to delay the vicious psychic.

After all…Lance was only so skilled with the item…and the sounds and vibrations in the air were too sporadic for him to control very easily.

"Whale on it!" They had blasters, Lance didn't.

Ursa took note in a chip in the Ruby. "Looks like his sound waves can't do much to blow this thing up, huh?"

"You think I can't see what you're doing? Get back here!" Onyx made a large pulling motion, and the tiles beneath the two Cornerians curled upwards and pulled away, throwing the two onto their backs on a new layer of sheet metal.

"Oh yeah?" Lance yelled out at the top of his lungs, directing the baton towards Onyx. He amplified all sounds he could, rendering the Seer deaf for moments. Onyx twitched in surprise and cradled his ears with his paws, before submerging himself in the ground once more.

It was quiet for the moment, save a low, humming sound eminating from the Blood Ruby.

_I'm gonna buy them some time. Finally, got a moment to think for once._

While Ursa and Tora were busy firing away at the Ruby…with little success…Lance closed his eyes, conducting the wand in standard 4/4 time.

_Where's he gonna show up next? Just wait…just wait…_

Sure enough, Onyx popped out of the wall again, teeth bared, claw raised. Two huge, metal pipes shot out from where he sat, launching directly towards Lance.

_Now!_ something ripped through the air, though no one could hear it; as a matter of fact, whatever it was completely deafened everyone. No one could hear anything…but the pipes began rattling and screeching, shaking a disoriented Onyx right out of the wall. As usual, he tried to lift a shield…but this time he was far too rattled to even think straight, let alone expend his abilities further.

Lance began breathing heavily, supporting himself on one knee…still conducting with the baton. "Onyx…it was…a worthy fight. To say the least."

He felt the tip of the Baroque Wand beginning to quiver with the growing stockpile of energy. All he had to do…was aim and release. And it would all be over.

"Hu…man…you worm…" Onyx rolled over, trying to push himself back to the ground. Instead, he collapsed under his own weight, resting face down on the ground.

"Guys…don't forget your jobs." Ursa and Tora were standing there motionless, staring down at Onyx…waiting for his next move. They were equally exhausted, totally relieved that it was finally the end.

But even so, they turned away to aim at that terrible, life-altering gem. They squeezed their triggers, and as they did, they heard that familiar burst of sound, a long groan, and then utter silence.

"I guess…is it…over?" Ursa

"……" Lance fell backwards into a sitting position. Clutching his side, he was injured, but in one piece. "Yeah…it's over."

"Good. Now let's trash this thing so we can go help Fox and get our asses beaten _again_."


	25. Chapter 25: To Challenge the Gods

Chapter 25: To Challenge the Gods

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_This jewel…with all our hopes and dreams…kissed in the scarlet glow, illuminated with the thousands of souls and dreams locked within this glass cage._

_Long since the days of my people's passing have I dreamed of the day I would see it for myself and hold it for myself, my life, my desires reflected in the countless faces of the dead, the dying and the soon to be reborn._

_And yet I ran from the truth…cowering from the knowledge that bound me to this mission. Blinded by terror and regret did I wander the stars, weaving this sordid tale that is my life…_

_The tale that has become our legacy. Dear father…dearest mother…forgive my transgressions as I restore our honor. We tread this path together, you stand by my side in spirit…with you and you alone can I pass these trials which hold us from our divine goal._

_Even as vengeance has led some of us, we walk on with only one purpose: without hate or retribution…we do not hate the Cornerians. Their judgment is beyond our mortal rights; we come with hope, we fight for life and liberty._

_But you know this already…so now I ask you: can we succeed? Alas…we have long questioned this as well…ergo, even if we succeed, what then? Can we rebuild? Can we grow and thrive like we once did? Can we live among our new enemies, the rest of the lylatean population? No…yet Agatio refuses to give._

_Even in his futile attempt, I can only admire his courage. Is it courage? Or is it more personal? Whatever the case, his reason is no less true. We _can _rebuild, thrive and live on._

_Time and time again we have spoken of these things, many times have we concerned ourselves with issues we have already debated. But how can we think of anything else? No one can ever understand what it's like…to lose one's own family…one's home…to know that no possible means can ever bring it back? That none of the future or any of your children will ever walk the same earth? To know that you and all you stand for will fade into space much like a flame in the wind?_

_You…dear viewer…can you possibly fathom our loss? Yes…sit there and laugh at our plea…but one day, you, too may experience a fraction of our unbearable pain. That's a promise._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Your memoir is finished?" Agatio inquired, close behind the vixen. "So soon?"

"What would I include? I feel it only necessary to discuss our collective legacy…not my own."

"Such loyalty…" he murmured. He didn't feel touched, though he may have claimed it. Right now the only thing holding her to her service was the fact that he had rewritten her mind. In truth…he was the only real Seer left. And now he was painfully aware of that.

"Little by little…my powers are draining away. It is becoming increasingly difficult to influence the materials around me, so I can deduce that Onyx is now dead and gone. With the loss of Rubio…and Topius…and now our precious Blood Ruby…" he shuddered in despair.

"Oh…why did it have to be this way?" He covered his mane-less dome in his paw. "Such complex procedures…" his voice quivered.  
"Look at this!" The lion shouted, still shaking. He opened his arms to the sky, where another Blood Ruby floated. "What are our options with only one of these?"

"We'll have few, that's for sure. The cost will be much, much higher…" Krystal admitted. "Perhaps we should rethink our tactics? If we were to realize this dream on Corneria, they will surely outnumber us and we will lose much liberty and oppurtunity. Maybe…"

"I've planned out this entire operation poorly, starting with my underestimating our adversaries."

"Master…?"

"Speak no more…my soul is stained of this misfortune."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Hey, I didn't see you get hit by anything. How are you limping?" Ursa inquired of the humanoid footsoldier.

"It must have been those blood bullets."

"Eh?" Tora was walking directly beside him. Lance's arm was wrapped around the Tiger's shoulders for support. "What do you mean by that?"

"You didn't see? He was drawing out his own blood. Strengthening it like some kinda weapon."

"I saw…you never know what to expect from these people, eh?" Ursa chortled weakly.

"I didn't feel it until later on. There's an entry wound, but there's no projectile. Makes me wonder if he had something in his blood I should know about." He was breathing heavily, like something inside was weighing him down.

"You don't look sick or anything. Let's hope it stays that way." Muttered the tiger.

"……"

The two of them walked through the same path Fox had treaded. Through the endless hallway, marching through the dark and into the throneroom, greeted by moonlit hills rolling as far as the eye could see.

"I guess it reminded me…" the feline continued, "…how little we all really are."

Ursa nodded, and Lance continued glaring at the ground. Tora spoke on: "I always wanted to rise above it all…it always translated to freedom for me…but something's always there to kick me back down, you know? It ended up biting me in the rear, once before. That's how people become criminals, yeah? We were rogues, rejected and alone. But then we found eachother. Where we fell, the one next to us would pick us up. We were our own strength. Long after we seperated…I came to realize that this was what strength really was. It rests in no one man…I know it sounds corny…but what's the greatest motivation to pick up your fists and fight?"

"So strength comes from friendship, he says." Ursa mused.

"Is that your legacy?" Lance grinned, head still directed towards the ground.

"……" he snorted. "I guess so. Tora McLellan…the defiant weakling."

The three of them laughed.

"Tora, this is unlike you." Ursa piped up. "Why the sudden change in mood?"

"I dunno…I guess I just don't wanna die without saying something important, you know? Feel like I should say it, let someone know."

"That's what happens."

"Is that why you joined this fight?" grunted Lance. "To prove you were strong? To protect someone?"

"A little bit of both, I guess."

"Haha…I knew someone back home who was just like you."

"Hey…" Ursa interrupted, pointing towards the throne at the end of the room. "What gives? This place is empty!"

"There's no Blood Ruby here. Where else would anyone be?"

"Hey…that sword…sticking out of the ground…" Lance pointed towards Rubio's sword. Fox had taken one, but the other remained there in the ground.

"It's Rubio's!" Ursa's eyes widened. "Do you think he's...?"

"Here…let's take it."

"Huh?"

"You know…as backup. In case Agatio can fight against _this_ thing." He patted his pocket, where the Baroque was placed.

Tora released his hold on the human, who stammered over to the blade while his companions waited outside the bounds of the shadow the mural cast onto the ground. He knelt down, gripping the handle, and with a grunt, heaved it from the ground.  
_I'll give my life if necessary. Fox, Krystal, everyone...hang in there._

The three of them continued walking along the same path this mission's leader had taken. They walked around the throne and through another set of pillars, and out into the massive wilderness. The green stretched out for a long distance until it hit a soft shoreline. From there, they couldn't make out anything else.

"Alright. I guess this path here is the only way forward." Ursa grunted, stretching out his arms. A dusty, yellow path sat in the ground, weaving between the hills and inclines, squirming through the land and towards their next destination.

Wordless and weary, the trio marched on until two arcs ascended in the distance; glimmering like a reflecting pool, the arcs fell into two pillars, as if to suggest a divine gateway sitting at the edge of a stone pier jutting out from the land and over a vast ocean.

"Nice change in scenery, I guess…" muttered Ursa.

"Hey…is that Fox down there?" Lance pointed past the end of the path and towards the edge of the pier. Under the shimmering arcs stood Fox, looking all around, trying to figure out where to go. Two other figures stood in front of him, likewise searching for a solution.

"Looks like Falco!" Tora broke into a run, waving an arm for them.

"Slippy, too." Said Ursa.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So you didn't see anyone?" Lance glanced around. So far, the group of six had met an impasse here on the stone cliffs.

"Nope. No Rubio…not the other guy, either."

"They must be…you know." Falco folded his arms and snorted. "Which leaves us just one last bug to squash."

"But how are we gonna do that?" Ursa opened an arm towards the moon, high above the water. Moments after the six had converged, a trail of floating stairsteps had materialized, climbing straight up towards the moon itself.

"Well, I guess that answers MY question." The six warily moved on, and with every step they took, the air around them grew more and more saturated with the familiar flow and colors of the Blood Ruby.

"That guy must have all the power of the universe wrapped around his thumb!"

"Hey, you know what they say…." Tora nudged Falco, and both of them announced at the same time:

"The tougher the scrape, the brighter I shine!" The two of them chuckled, exchanging ludicrous compliments.

"Just like old times, eh, Falco?"

"Honestly…that wasn't my day."

"This is inspiring. We've got old allies…the famous Star Fox…and now a pangalactic hero on our side!" Ursa roared, pointing a single claw towards the blood red moon. "We can't lose! Not now…I'll rest easy when I'm dead!"

"You know, my Dad always used to tell me that only a martyr fights and dies for his home; a hero would rather fight and live for it." Fox nodded, still climbing up the seemingly endless stairs.

"Oh-ho!" Slippy clapped. "That's a good one. Gives us something to look forward to when we're done here."

"Everyone's got something to fight for, but I know we all want to live to see the end. Right guys?"

They neared the end of the stairs, walking out into a floating platform, wide and crystalline. Through the opaque ground, the land and sea below rippled with the distorted moonlight. On the ground, three concentric rings rotated, marked by several globes and neon markings, giving it the appearance of a sort of clock. Underneath the face of this 'clock,' three scimitar shaped 'legs' extended in a clawing motion towards the sea below, the center of which was occupied by a faintly glowing orb of light. And floating there above an alter opposite to where they stood, in all it's terrifying crimson glory…the Blood Ruby slowly rotated, glinting on every corner and every surface.

And standing before it, Agatio and Krystal gazed upwards, backs towards the group. That lion's bare head was recognizable anywhere... But they turned, first the Master and then the vixen. "I see you found his weapons." The Lion glanced at Fox and Lance, both of whom had one of Rubio's swords.

Two parts of the same set.

"It escapes me……as to why one such as Rubio would betray us like this? Why, indeed…" He shook his head.

"Krystal!" Fox heard Agatio's words, but did not respond to them. "I know you can hear me! Snap out of it!"

"She can't hear you now." Agatio drew near to her, glaring at Fox while gripping the vixen's chin. "She is no longer among the living; she is not among the dead. Trapped within her own mind, she will serve our beautiful Cerinia even if it kills her." He let go and drifted behind her, focusing into her mind. Speaking through her mouth, his voice rang out with her own.

"She is no longer yours…she never was. She was always our tool, one of the only people capable of using the Blood Ruby."

"Stop doing this to her! She's innocent!"

"Oh, how trite." Agatio sneered in his own voice. Krystal continued to stare blankly at Fox. "There is no way she can ever return to normal."

"What did you do to her? Last time we met she could at least speak to me!"

"I've adjusted her mind to work at it's full capacity. A regular Cerinian or Cornerian only uses roughly fifteen percent of his or her brain. I completely eradicated her consciousness in order to activate the other 85 percent. She is no longer self-aware…now she is no more than a living, breathing computer."

"!!!"

"Win her back, Fox McCloud, and all will return to normal. She is after all, an extension of my own will. If I am gone, who is to master her?"

This calmed Fox down a bit, though he still clenched his teeth.

"But back to the matters of hand…I want to at least express my thoughts before we continue with this insipid conflict."

"Please…go on." Fox scowled.

"I was the head of all Seers on our world…the head of our sect, the leader of our sector, and the grand symbol of our glory, all of our power and wisdom and everything we stood for. I never ruled the world…I never needed to. But mine was a position of great responsibility…I could never show weakness, never lose composure…my people…my _world_…they all looked to me for guidance, for protection, for inspiration. The way I see it, I _am_ Cerinia. I am the final legacy of our race…whether we succeed or fail…I am all there is. One single mortal body…this accursed shell that is Agatio…"

He clenched a fist, staring at it for answers. But when it opened up, his palm remained empty.

"Tell me, you who challenge the Gods…can any among you understand the burden I must carry? You there…Fox McCloud."

Fox remained calm and composed.

"You're a worldwide war hero…you symbolize Cornerians everywhere…you are their hope, their strength, their _rock_, if you will. The entire Lylat system adores you, they all look up to you, and there are even many young children who want to be like you. Tell me…if your world ended tomorrow…and you had a single chance to bring it all back…to continue living among your friends, to bring your family back, to live once more with the one you love…what would _you_ do?"

"……" Fox looked up at the Blood Ruby, examining it before responding to Agatio. "I suppose I can't argue with that, can I? I have no idea what it's like…but Corneria's protection…no. The wellfare of the _entire Lylat System_ is what I live for. It's something I can't just ignore. I'll fight tooth and nail for it…every moment I fight, I know that if I fail, there are more than 11 billion people counting on me. _Me._ One person…all those people are counting on Fox McCloud. Heh…" He looked at the ground. "…it's a weird feeling, responsibility. It's just like you said…it's like I _am_ the Lylat System. And we'll fight for them. Just like you fight for Cerinia."

"Then it's nothing personal." Agatio concluded. "Good. We're clear on that."

Lance glanced over at Fox, looking him over. _That must be what it's like to be a leader. I guess he and Agatio aren't all that different…both of them risking everything with this fight…both of them leaders with the weight of the world on their shoulders. At this point…I guess it's nothing personal. It's just us and them._

"You're the only one who can remotely understand this situation. But you can't even sacrifice a single planet, out of the some 9 or so you have inhabited? I suppose not…not even out of compassion. The lives of your own people are still at stake."

"Make no mistake…we can't sacrifice a single life for you people; you could have started over, just like Krystal…but you had to go and pull a stunt like this. That's the reason we're fighting here today. I'm sorry for Cerinia…and I'm sorry that you couldn't do your people the service you wanted. But right now, it's a battle for survival. No more, no less."

"Well said, Cornerian…Lylatean Hero. And so begins…the battle between Cerinia and Corneria."

"Get ready, guys…" at the same time Fox held Rubio's sword horizontally in front of him, he pulled out his blaster, aiming it directly over the length of the blade. Evidently he was planning on combining the gun and sword during this fight.

"'Challenge the Gods,' he says? I say the Gods are gonna sit this one out." Lance nudged Fox, raising his own blade and the the Baroque Wand.  
_So I watched Rubio…but I think I can improvise with just one sword._  
He and Fox both weilded a prophetic tool...a tribute to a tragic hero and to their own legacy.

Everyone leaped from where they stood…Fox, Falco, Slippy, Lance, Ursa and Tora…fighting for their lives, fighting for Corneria.

Fighting for Krystal.

At the moment they charged…their worlds all went black.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Alone in a corner of a schoolyard, a green, ambhibious boy stood staring at his feet, trying to avoid all detection. Whoever walked past just ignored him as well, almost equally afraid to make eye contact. He just stood there, counting away the moments, waiting for the day to end. With every passing moment, he stared down at the ground, keeping track of how far the shadows crept every few minutes.

Just a few more inches…

"Hey, what are you looking at?" a fat dingo growled.

He tightened up, still gazing at the ground.

_Go away…go away…please go away…_

"Answer me!"

"N-nothing…"

"Nothing, huh?" the voice drew nearer, as a fist drove into the boy's abdomen.

"Eeyaugh!" A tiny frog curled up on the ground, clutching his stomache. He tried to roll into a ball…try to make it hurt just a little less, if he could.

"Hold still, you little worm!" a swift, hard foot came swinging like a pendulum, driving a toe under the victim's arms and into his ribcage.

He grunted again, rocking where he lay, bumping his head and shoulder into the ground every time he was kicked. Tears lined his eyes, dirt clinging to his face.

"Who do you think you are? You're nothing! _Nothing!_ Stop acting like you're _somebody!_" He felt something pop, causing him pain whenever he tried to yell for help.

"Stop…you're…" the smashing subsided momentarily, only for the bully to grab the ambhibian's lapel, his canine breath radiating onto the frog's face.

"I'm _what?_ What _am_ I?"

"Why am I…"

"Nothing? Because you are! You little freak, you think you're so much better, don't you? Well guess what?" He raised a final fist to plow into the pummeled face.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"No!"

"Did you think you could escape?" A voice in the dark hissed, echoing throughout the room of abandoned ruins. The heat pressed in, suffocating the soldier while the sands beneath his feet shifted and shuffled.

"No one escapes…not now, not ever! Kekekekeke……"

His hand raised, feeling his own beak. _I gotta get out of here…or I'm done for!_

"You're a tricky one, eh, bird? Kekeke!" The voice came from all directions. It was too hard to pin down where it was coming from.

"But I can smell your fear! Look at how stiff your knees are…how tense the shoulders…it's almost too easy!!"

The bird's head was foggy with fear. He couldn't think straight; only desparation filled his mine. _There!_ He turned around, shooting madly with his blaster, hoping to hit something.

_Where is he?!?_ He began to panic, terror gripping his lungs. He truly thought he was going to die, trapped in this hole like a rat in a cage. This adversary was a merciless, cold blooded killer. He'd never seen or heard anything like it; who could possibly enjoy this?  
He realized that he would get no mercy, nor could he win.

"Kekeke…FOOL!" The same hissing voice screeched out from his left, and he just barely dodged a sharpened edge, grazing the feathers on the side of his face. "You have no control over your own life! I'm outfitted with heat visors anyway, but it's a little hard in this kind of climate. If you hadn't shot off that blaster of yours I might still be lurking around. How grand…I'm going to have fun with this one!"

The footsoldier had no clue that the blaster fire was exactly what the assassin wanted; before, not even he could see in the dark. But because of the gunfire, he had exposed his own position.

Unaware of this, he began firing blindly once more. This time, however, he at least knew that this swift, ruthless murderer hunched just several feet away. Two blasts whizzed past that green, scaley face, flashing twice in the darkness. He disappeared altogether before the third flash illuminated where he had stood not even a second before.

"What??" The avian yelled out loud, his voice shaking.

"Aw…what's the matter? Scared of the dark?" he cackled again. "Don't worry…it'll all be over soon. Ooh…but on the other hand…it'll be _long_ before this is over!"

The footsoldier took off, sand crunching underneath his feet. He had no idea where he was going, and he might hit a wall at any second. But to make sure, he fired off shots every few seconds to light a path…even further exposing himself.

_Gotta get a grip! Can't take much more of this!_

"You can't hide, birdie! Ol' Leo's gonna make mincemeat outta you! Ke-kekekeke!!"

"Ursa! Tora! _Katt!! Anyone!!_"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

In a quieter place, down on the surface of a quiet planet…

"Sh, shhh…" A large, ursine father cradled his cub in his arms, embracing him. It may have been their last moment together, and he didn't want to let go just yet. "Don't cry now, son. It'll all be okay."

"Are you leaving again, Daddy?" A small child gazed up with curious eyes. Tucked snugly under the sheets of his bed, he watched as a larger, lighter-tone bear positioned himself at the foot of the bed.

"Yeah…Daddy's gotta go take care of some business now." The father gave a sad smile, ruffling up his son's hair.

"But you can't go!" He extended a tiny paw as the father made towards the door.

"Son, I promise. This is the last time…"

"No, you're lying!" the cub wimpered. Then he added, more weakly: "You always say this is the last time."

"……" He sighed and stared down woefully at the child, shoulders drooping. "I…I'll be back soon." As he turned to leave, the cub kicked the blankets off and dashed off past the larger bear.

"W-what the?" He crept down the hallway to see where his son had run off to: right for the front door. As he rounded the corner, he slowed to a stop, arms held out in disbelief.

The cub had preemptively piled up boxes in front of the door, and in front of the massive stack, he stood with his arms out to stop his father.

"……what is this?" He dropped his hands to the side.

"Please don't go…Daddy, promise you won't go!"

"I _have_ to! For your sake!"

"But…"

"Stop this nonsense!" He hissed, careful not to wake up the others in the house. "What I'm going to do might change the world…you have no idea how important this is."

The child remained silent, fighting back his tears.

"All I wanted to do was give you the life I never had."

The cub sniffled again, but still avoided eye contact. "Promise me…"

"Huh?"

"Promise me you'll come back after this. That this is the last time."

The father looked into his sons eyes, stared long and deeply. "I promise."

That was the last they ever saw of eachother.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Stop fighting! Both of you!" a feminine voice pleaded…somewhere distant. The two fighters could hardly hear anything but their own personal war.

"This guy's a former special-op?"

"Yeah right…"

"Eat him alive!"

"Tch. Guy couldn't even fly his own kite, let alone his own fighter."

"Wonder what they were teaching him."

"You're better off sawing logs, McLellan!"

Spectators watched and shouted, jeering and throwing insults at one of the two.

"Stop fighting **now!**"

All he could remember was the dark face of a feline, a brief scuffle, and a red rose.

The rose was painted on the side of the enemy craft he was fighting against. That arrogant jungle cat had challenged him to a duel to settle a dispute involving some sort of romantic conflict.

He had accepted the challenge…against his better judgment and the wishes of their dearly beloved. Even now her voice spoke to them over a communications link.

"Don't you get it? I don't care who wins! This is stupid! What are you two thinking??"

"Stay out of this. That's not the reason I'm fighting right now."

"Then what for? What are you trying to prove?"

"I'm not gonna let some ruffian like this show me up."

"Ruffian? Well aren't you one to talk!"

"I promised you I'd change. And here I am. I'm doing Lylat a service."

"That's ludicrous! Get down now!" she continued pleading, but whoever this was refused to give.

"Never…I can never turn back. Never give up." His ship barrel rolled, dodging a rain of incoming fire. He responded with several shots of his own, all of which missed their target by a mile.

"What's more important to you?" She demanded. "Your glory? Or me?"

"But…!"

"But nothing! Come down here or you're going to die! And what then? What am I going to do?"

Another deeper voice purred over the intercom…speaking in third-person. "Does the mangy mongrel feel lucky? That failure of an _ally cat_ doesn't deserve such a lovely prize…who does it think it is?" Laser fire from the 'rose' scorched his wings. "It just had to come into the picture, didn't it? It had to come waltzing into Panther's perfect life and ruin everything, Rrrrrrrrr…"

"Gr…"

"Is it mocking Panther?"

"Panther! Stop it, now!"

"What? Does the lovely lady not want Panther? Panther knows who is to blame for this…"

"If you don't stop this right now I'm going to come in and shoot you down myself!"

"Take this!" the determined fighter shot at Panther once again, but like always, he missed.

"It's aim is so terrible it couldn't even shoot _a camera!_" Panther fired several direct hits into the main body of the fighter's machine.

"Eeyaaaah!!!"

"Noooooo!!!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"But this just isn't right…I mean…you're…?"

"A goodfella? That's right." On a lesser planet, under the blazing sun, between two riven brick buildings, two figures confronted eachother. Both adolescent, one of them had a slightly darker complexion than his friend. "I'm playing with the big boys now. They'll let you in, too, but you gotta do this test, first."

His accent was a little heavier, thicker and bolder.

"Geoff, I don't know about this…"

"Come on, how long have we known eachother?" He put an arm around his ally.

"Well that has nothing to do with it."

"What? You wanna just go back home and cry?" he slapped his chest. "Come on. They go jump you down in your own turf and we're here to stomp those asswipes. That's how it works here. Welcome to Southie, am I right?"

"Wait a minute!" the lighter one drew away, holding his hands up defensively. "I don't want any part in this!"

"Whaddya mean?"

"Look, it was _those_ guys that do this to me all the time!" He pointed to his own eye, darkened where it had been punched just a day before. The very arm he was pointing with was also scratched and bruised.

"I should be dead by now! Don't you get it? You're on the wrong side!"

"Aay, wait a minute…"

"How can you _do_ this?" His voice reached a shrill pitch momentarily. "I thought you were better than that! Didn't your mom always tell you that you were better than that?"

"Ma don't hear none of this where she is."

"What…what do you mean?"

"Soon as we got kicked out, we had to come move down here with my uncle and cousin. Didn't you hear? Mom's dead."

"Uh……oh. But…" he was at loss for words. He just rubbed his arm, unable to say anything.

"Know who it was?"

"What, the Italians?"

"Yea."

"Well……" He just scratched the back of his head. "Look, I know how you feel. Remember Quince? He's dead, too. I saw him myself."

"……"

"Look, this isn't how to go about it!"

"Then what the fuck am I supposed to do?" He yelled, throwing an arm up in the air, staring defiantly. "I can't just run in there myself, can I?"

"But what if…"

"But _nothing! Geez_, man, what the fuck's wrong with you?" He whirled around, resting an arm against the wall. "We're getting evicted _again!_ Didn't you know? They can help provide for us! They got resources, connections, politicians! We won't have to move out again, this time. I got a _real_ family now."

"_Family? In Winter Hill??_" He spluttered. "They're _murderers!_"

Before he knew it, he was pinned against the wall, dark strong hands gripping his lapel. The attacker's sleeve rippled just enough to reveal the shamrock tatooed to his forearm, and the caption beneath it: _"No more kings"_

"Don't you _ever_ say that shit again!" He growled. "I…am taking back…what's rightfully mine! I'm gonna murder that dillhole that killed Mom! I am gonna live wherever the hell I want, do whatever the hell I want, and no one is gonna kick me out again, and I am never gonna have to take shit from nobody! Ever again! Now…"

"W-wha-wha…"

"Wha-wha-what?!" He taunted. "I am giving you one last chance to join up. Now I am a patient man…and you, bro, are really pushing it!"

"I don't wanna join! But……!!!" He was interrupted by a swift punch to the face. Still held fast by his collar, he felt fist after fist, knuckles digging into his cheek.

"You good for nothing Mick!!" He pushed him to the ground with one fist, still pounding away with the other. "I offer you the chance to get even…to be king…to start a new life…and you just sit there and spit in my face! You _spit in my face!_"

"Wait, Jay! Stop it!"

"What are they gonna say? 'Oh, way to go, Jay, go bring in that little Callahan runt.' Yea, thanks for nothing, asshole." The once-friend socked the kid again, but let go and stood up, walking a few feet to grab a nearby two-by-four plank of wood.

"You know how this feels, asshole? Be rejected by your own, friend? Yo' own brother? Tch…get outta my town."

"Wait…what are you doing?" No response came, but the plank swung around fast as lighting, decking him in the side of the head, just above the eye. He blacked out for a split second, and when he came to, blood was dripping down the side of his face. He lifted a hand, feeling an enormously deep cut extending just above his left eye. Blood poured out of it profusely; it almost felt like someone had shoved a hot iron through his skull.

Frantic, his adrenaline rushed, and his mind clouded. He lost all sense of judgment when he saw the plank rushing towards him again.

"No! Stop it, stop it! Obie, stop!" He continued screaming, holding his hands up, and then he felt his hands grip something. "Stop it! Stop! Stop it, please, stop it! Stop it!"

He continued repeating those same words over and over and over again…his mind blocked out everything else. The world disappeared as grunting and screaming racked his brain. Before he knew it, he was standing over his friend, struggling to get up.

"Stop it…stop it…stop it…!" he continued screaming as he pummeled his once close friend. Every hit brought knocked the youth back down, and he struggled to get up, as casually as he had fallen. He was beaten so senseless that he no longer knew his situation.

"Stop…stop…" He fell to his knees as the paddling ceased. His chest and shoulders heaved, his head drooped. He took one look at that motionless corpse, covered in blood, and he dropped the weapon, sobbing loudly…staring helplessly down at the mess he had created.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Humph. Look at them all." Back in the real world, Agatio was busy watching five bodies writhing and twitching on the ground. One more was simply laying unconscious on the ground.

"It's pathetic, how easily weak minds like these can lose grip on reality with such beautiful memories."

He glanced around. So far, Slippy, Falco, Ursa, Tora and even Lance had already submitted to Krystal's invasion of their own minds. Just as Agatio had brainwashed her, she was using a similar technique to shut down their minds altogether.

"No response, precious?" He sneered. At the moment, Krystal was approaching the human, currently lying still.

"What a twisted, misused life he once led. I almost admire his sacrifices."

Still she didn't respond. As the silence pervaded, the first five bodies became covered in a thin, red aura, emitting a single thread of golden light into the Blood Ruby. The bodies became a deeper and deeper red, until they disappeared altogether, absorbed into the Blood Ruby.

Now only Fox remained.

"I am curious as to how he was able to overcome Azure's mental prowess. She was an experienced telepath who should have no trouble in disposing of a simple mind like this. Perhaps once he and the rest are merged into the Blood Ruby, we will find the answer to that." He turned to his assistant, addressing her harshly. "Krystal."

"Master."

"Draw Fox McCloud into the void. We are going to eradicate them all."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Unh……wh…" Blackness surrounded the vulpine. His head was swimming, trying to get a hold of himself and figure out what had just happened. "Where is this…?" He opened his groggy eyes, met with a dim red world. The very air was gliding and pulsating like smoke, and there didn't seem to be anywhere he could rest his feet. Fox looked down: he was floating in midair, drifting about the crimson void.

"Where is this?" he examined himself; no damage done. Not yet, at least.

"Heeeeeey!!" He yelled out, but his voice fell flat. This world was silent, without anything to create an echo.

"That won't do you any good." A voice behind the vulpine cut the silence. "In this world…this dimension created by the Blood Ruby…all lives are dormant. It's only a matter of time before you and your friends are consumed completely."

Fox whirled around. It came as second nature, somehow, even though he wasn't used to levitating. But something struck him first: floating before him was not the form of the Cerinian Lion, but that of his own father.

Krystal, however, was still standing next to him.

"Well now…" 'James' began. "Seeing inside your mind…is that all that truly motivated you over the years?"

"You…" Fox trembled. "How dare you…"

"You felt inclined to continue your Father's work, so you claimed your place as leader of the Star Fox crew. Haha…so death has motivated you to change your own life, to forsake yourself and embrace your fate. How are we so different, young one? Through the years you have forced yourself to lead against your own will because you knew the fate of the world rested on your legacy."

"Who are you to go digging around in my mind like that?"

"Oh…such lonely days those were…weren't they?" As he spoke, the world behind him twisted and mended into something totally new. Blue skies, green hills and a silver city composed the scenery.  
"Let's take a trip back in time, shall we? Back to the Cornerian flight academy we go."

"What are you doing? What is this?"

"Back when you and Wolf were allies. Back when James McCloud was still alive."

"Stop this right now!"

"Look…Fox, you can't keep moping around like this."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Come on…everyone's waiting."

"I don't wanna go."

"Fox, you have to at least…" a hare and a fox were situated in a gloomy bedroom, neglected by the young fox's apathy. He had isolated himself as soon as he found out what fate had befallen his father.

"Wasn't the funeral enough?" He retorted, slightly raising his voice. "What am I going to do now? There's no one left…"

"You can't just give up like this!" A middle-aged hare insisted. "If you do…everything your father was fighting for will be wasted!"

"What right do you have to say that??"

"You think I don't know what it's like, Fox?" He scolded. "Your father fought for you. As soon as you were born, you were his inspiration to go the distance and found Star Fox."

"But that's the reason he died."

"He did it for you, Fox."

"How stupid…he was stupid! He should have stayed home! Now that he's gone, what am I going to do?"

"……" Peppy hung his head.

_This wasn't James' fault…it was me. All my fault…I ran away while James was taken down…_

"P-Peppy?"

The hare sniffed. "Fox…I'm doing the best I can. James…" Try as he might, he couldn't conceal his own sadness or stop his voice from quivering. "He wanted…he wanted me to look after you in case he…in case this happened."

"……"

"Fox…I'm so sorry! I was…I couldn't save him!"

"But Peppy…"

"No…it was all my fault! They ambushed us in the middle of a sortie…and they got a hold of his Arwing somehow…"

Fox stared at him, looking up from his pillow.

_So you never actually saw his Arwing crash? No…I can't think that way…I'll never get over it at this rate._

"Fox…I'm so sorry…"

"**NO!**" Fox yelled, gritting his teeth. He focused with all his mind, trying to disperse the images before him. It was all a lie…all a farce. "Why are you showing me this??" All at once, the young fox and Peppy all but disappeared.

"Hm…these memories seem painful to you. And yet they are the most important. How can something so terrible mean so much to you?"

"Shut up…those were the darkest days of my life. I'll never go back to those times!"

"Krystal?" Agatio, still in James' form, turned to his puppet. "Eliminate this fool. Delve deep into his mind and break him from the inside."

"Krystal, no!" It was too late: the vixen was already penetrating his mind, breaking up his focus and self awareness. He yelled out, clutching his head.

"'fraid I can't let you do that." Out of nowhere, a glitter in the distance slowly enlarged. As it took shape, it became apparent that Lance was zipping towards them at a great speed. Before he knew what was happening, Agatio found 180 pounds of human strength plowing into him from the side. He drifted off while the sapien turned to the vulpine leader.

"Sorry I'm late, Fox. Got lost on the way here, you know."

"Urk…filthy human…" Agatio began drifting back towards his spot, fiercely glaring at Lance. Krystal had been forced to ignore Fox to attend to the Lion. "Somehow I expected you'd be back…"

"This ends here, you murderer." Lance immediately turned to Fox. "Fox! We're inside the Blood Ruby!"

"Yeah, I figured…"

"You're surrounded by energy; now use it! You aren't limited by physics in this place!"

"Wait…how do you know all this?"

"Heh…are you kidding me? It's just like when I was fighting the Calluyda back home."  
He was referring to the very mission that had brought him to the Lylat system. Back before he arrived, he and his five friends, a group called _Lucky 7,_ had been led into a worldwide conflict following a clue left by their deceased friend. The adventure sent them after an ageless creature known as the Calluyda; one such battle resembled the current situation almost exactly.

"I'm not sure what you're…"

"I'll tell you after we kick Agatio's ass!" He grinned to Fox. "You ready?"

Fox looked surprised at Lance's demeanor. But he nodded anyway. "Let's do it!" The two of them flew off towards Krystal and Agatio, weilding Rubio's two swords.

Two blades…intertwined, ready to strike.

"What hope have you of winning?" Agatio sneered. "You can't even protect your own mind!" He pointed to them, with Krystal imitating the same motion.

"Krystal!" Fox shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice reaching a hoarse sound. "Snap out of it! This heap of trash is just using you!"

"Destroy them!"

"Not gonna happen." Lance had dashed over to the vixen swiftly as he could. With the sword, he thrust the blade towards Krystal…

"Lance!! **Are you nuts?!?**"

It was too late; before Fox had finished his sentence, Lance's sword was inches away from Krystal's head, already in a dodging motion. As she moved back, his weapon pursued her.

_I knew it! I knew he couldn't keep his promise! He's just going to kill her!_

Not so.

Krystal had almost dodged the attack, but the very tip of the blade pierced directly through the jewel on her forehead. With a loud cracking noise, the jewel exploded in a brilliant flash of indigo, with a glowing orb of the same color rising away from the same spot. The strings securing the tiara slowly drifted away as Krystal floated there motionless.

"NO!" Agatio yelled. Fox finally understood what Lance was trying to do; as Agatio had said before, that jewel was like a lock, a safeguard to ensure he maintained control over Krystal. Now that it was gone, maybe they could win back her freedom.

"You little _wretch!_" Agatio began to emit a bright aura, and even his fur changed color. It almost looked like he was ablaze in a deep indigo flame.

He extended a hand towards Lance, and before he knew what was going on, the air around him rippled and exploded like a cluster of mines.

"Holy sh…" he didn't even finish his sentence, gliding and zipping around to avoid the attacks.

Fox was far more preoccupied, concerned only with Krystal's safety. He flew over to her, holding her in his arms.

"Krystal! Speak to me, Krystal!"

"…must…not fail…"

"No! Wake up! Please, Krystal!"

"Krystal! Obey me!" Agatio's voice rang through their heads, and the vixen's eyes shone Agatio's golden hue once more.

"Leave me alone, Fox!" She shouted, driving a palm into his face. "You're only making everything worse!"  
Fox rubbed his muzzle. _She's reverted a little. That's a good sign…_

He turned, only to find Agatio blasting towards him, illuminated by a terrifying phantasm. "Holy…!"

He barely dodged, pulling out his blaster to use in conjunction with the sword. Fox blasted away with the firearm, and would swing the sword whenever Agatio came in close. It was a huge challenge, though, considering Agatio's power and tenacity. Fox and Lance would attack Agatio, who would start going after one of them while the other attended to Krystal, only to have to dodge the Lion's attacks again.

"How long can you keep this up?" Agatio disappeared and popped out of thin air behind Lance. He smacked his backside with an open palm, sending a wave of invisible energy through the human's abdomen. Eyes blank, Lance groaned and floated a short distance, only to take the same attack several more times.

"You fools…you have challenged a God! You've defied the entire Cerinian race!"

"Watch out, Lance!" Fox slashed towards Agatio, launching a rain of laser after his evasion.

"Why do you continue to fight?" Krystal, weilding her staff, ambushed from behind. "Is it really for Corneria? Or is it for me that you fight?"

"That doesn't matter!" Fox blocked the attack, pushing against her staff. "We're here for you! I can't stand to see you like this!"

"Look at yourself!" Lance shouted, fending off Agatio with a firm kick to the chest. "You're a puppet! What happened? When I first met you…you always told me how lonely you always felt, how much you wanted to just live in peace. Is this the way to go?"

"Of course it is!" She shrieked, pushing harder against Fox's sword. "Once Cerinia is back, I'll never have to…"

"Shut up!" Fox yelled. "Do you really think that's true? You'll be the death of millions of Lylateans! Can you have that on your conscience? You can't raise the dead!"

"Why, how dare you!"

"You think death can be reversed, Krystal?" Lance arose from the depths. "I know what that's like! All the rest of humanity is gone, but trying to resurrect them like this…that would hurt more people than it would save!"

Humanity, in truth, was still very much alive, but she had not yet tapped that memory. It was a good thing, too…because the claim hit her hard.

"But…you can't say that!"

Lance couldn't respond, as Agatio had returned once more. "You think you can fend me off forever?! You can't take my servant away from me!"

Lance tackled Agatio, spinning through space, continually punching the Lion and thrusting into his astral body with the sword until he was thrown. Agatio continued to try and reach Krystal, but Lance would hold him back as long as he could.

_Damnit, Fox…Krystal…hurry up, you two!!_

"Krystal…" Fox began, glaring into her equally enraged eyes. "This is the wrong way! Just let go…come home with me…"

"I…" Her eyes slowly softened, returning to their original green color. "But I can't! It's too late!"

"Yes you can!" Lance yelled, just before Agatio launched another attack, destroying the air around his quarry. "It's never too late!" Just as he finished, one of the concussions consumed him entirely, shaking him enough to drop Rubio's blade.

His words had a profound impact on Krystal, as she began to shudder, losing her grip on her staff.

_Urk…can't keep going like this!_ Lance thought to himself. _I'm a goner...but I can't die here like this...!_

"Perish the thought, Mr. Callahan." Agatio appeared in front of him to perform the same attack.

_Can't move! I'm not gonna make it!_ Lance tried drifting backwards, but it made no difference. Agatio lunged forward to make one final attack, rendering the human useless for the rest of the fight.

"And good riddance to you." The lion huffed as he sped off to finish Fox. "Enjoy the rest of your existence as pure, ethereal energy."

_Fox McCloud…you'd better win…_ Lance sat there, drifting in and out of consciousness. Slowly…the Urban Soldier drifted away into the lifestream of the blood ruby. _You're…our last hope…_

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Krystal!" Fox yelled. "Say something!"

"No…can't be…" She pushed away from him, clutching her head as if something was trying to force its way out of her skull. "Can't…can't…"

"Krystal, return to your master." Agatio stood on Krystal's other side, equally distant as Fox was from her. "How can you deviate like this? What would your mother and father think?"

"Mother? Father?"

"How would he know, Krystal?" Fox yelled back to her. "They died for _you!_"

She gasped, falling to her knees.

"Don't listen to him!" Agatio demanded. "He's an outsider! He could never understand!"

"I may be an outsider…but Corneria's your home now!" Fox placed a hand on his chest. "We're your friends now…you're one of us!"

Agatio…"You aren't one of them! You could never be!"

Fox…"Why not?"

Everything Fox said got through to Krystal, loosening Agatio's grip with every word. But it was too much for the vixen. "Please…don't make me choose! I don't know what to do!"

"You must choose!" Agatio demanded, taking a step forward. "The entire Cerinian race depends on our success!"

This won her over just a little bit.

"All the life on Corneria will be eradicated if you do what he says!" Fox stepped forward as well. "And it will effect all of the Lylat system; more lifes will be effected, and fewer will be saved! And what will you have to show for it? What will happen to the Cerinians then?"

Fox's words compensated for Agatio's previous gain, weakening the Seer's grip.

"Your world needs you!" Agatio took several steps forward, opening his arms up.

"We need you!" Fox's eyelid twitched. Glancing between Krystal and Agatio, he knew what he had to say.

_I wonder if I'm going to regret this later…no! I swore last time that I would say it!_

His lip curled, before blurting it out at last: "I…I_ love you!_"

"Fox!" It sure did the trick.  
She shrieked his name at last as her fur returned to its original color, shedding the last bits of Agatio's possession on her mind. She was herself once more.

"Fox! I'm so sorry! I couldn't control it…I…" Her ramblings didn't last long, and soon she fell into a deep sleep.

"It's okay, Krystal...you're back now."

"I can't believe this! It can't be!" Agatio gritted his teeth, and threw his head back, roaring into the void.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_Voices…so many voices._

_Why are they crying out in agony?_

_Mother…Father…where are you?_

_"Krystal…I'm glad…you lived." Jasper's voice rumbled. Unlike their last 'meeting,' however, his voice was warm and full of life. "You were all that ever mattered. If you were dead I would not have given a second thought to the fate of this world. Cerinia never stood a chance; I suppose the Gods willed it to be this way, and who are we to judge? That's the cycle of life, my child…just like we taught you. You're such a beautiful girl…such a tormented, beautiful girl."_

_"Krystal…look how big you've grown. I'm just sorry your father and I weren't around to see you." Garnet also looked very much alive, and unlike the last 'encounter,' she was directing her daughter to live her life. "We died for you…and that is why we want you to continue living. Honey…Mommy loves you very much. We want to see you again, but that can never happen. Please…live your life and be happy."_

_Garnet, Jasper...no, Mother and Father. So loyal and brave. Don't worry…I know you did your best to protect me. Whatever happened, I think it would have ended the same way no matter what. Right?_

_It's alright…you did your best. And it's alright now, because I finally know the truth. I finally know how everything happened. I can't believe it…did I really conceal all that in the back of my mind? It was my downfall…I was a coward for trying to run away. And I was a fool for thinking I could accept it._

_I'm sorry…so sorry…maybe I can't handle the truth. It's just so hard…I don't know how I'm going to live on like this._

_But I have to. I know you died for me, so I'll keep living. I have friends now…_

_Peppy, so kind and wise._

_Falco, strong and bold._

_Slippy, fair and intelligent._

_Lance…no words can describe your mystery. I think you're the only one who truly knows how I feel._

_And Fox…oh, Fox. I'm so glad I met you._

_So many voices…what are they saying?_

_Her arms were open to the moon, radiating silent beauty. It hung, wordless and ancient…the silent blue._

"This must be the heart of the Blood Ruby." She looked around. She stood in the center of the town square where she had once run free as a child. Glancing around, she spotted the familiar fountain, four animals denoting the four directions. A lion, a bear, a cat and a racoon stood as the world's stone guardians.

"This place…I remember it. It was home." People roamed the streets, going about their daily lives as if their world was all that ever was or ever would be. They were all transparent, followed by ghastly trails of smoke and spectral particles, nothing more than spirits.

"I know it's hard…but I have to stop this. I won't kill off an entire race." She looked down at herself. "But Fox was right…I can't defy nature. The stakes are…" she didn't finish her sentence. As a spectral mouse walked by, she extended a hand to it. Her hand only passed through, and the rodent paid her no heed.

"……" she held her arms up again, closing her eyes in focus. When she opened them, she was standing in a small, crystalline chamber, hands rested on the surface of what appeared to be a large, shining orb: the internal embodiment of the Blood Ruby, the throne of all souls.

"Listen…" she said to herself. She remained silent, eyes closed for what seemed like an eternity.

The sound of sorrow reached her ears…millions of voices, all of them fearful and sad, racked her mind, filling the entire room with their cries. They were begging for death, begging for rest.

"……" She opened her eyes sadly, resting her forehead against the surface. "…it was all a lie. There was never any way…" a single tear escaped her eye, rolling towards the tip of her nose and falling to the ground.

Yet at the same time…she was relieved. She knew now that she was not responsible for Agatio's failure; an attack on Corneria wouldn't have revived these souls. They were already dead, with their pitiful existence sealed with pain and suffering inside this cursed jewel. They were mad, mindless spectres now…simply longing for freedom from this mortal spiral.

"It seems that nothing can summon the dead." She stepped back, examining the ruby. "Not even the Blood Rubies are powerful enough. Not even their creator, Lord Daemon, could bypass the natural order. What a shame…"

The heart of the ruby screeched louder yet, growing brighter and brighter. A terrible wind filled the area, threatening to blow the vixen off her feet. But all was silent, as the whiteness filled the room, all was silent, and the souls of the ruby were all put to rest.

"NO!" Agatio cried. "What have you done?? It's over now…it's all over!"

"Fox!" She quickly wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. "I'm so sorry!"

"Stop saying that!" He returned her embrace. "Everything's gonna be okay."

As they held eachother, the world around them darkened, splintering into thousands and thousands of tiny glowing particles, rising away to the heavens.

"You destroyed the ruby…you destroyed our precious Blood Ruby!" Agatio shouted to her. "How could you?!"

"We never had a chance, Master Agatio…" She sighed. "Those souls…they were fragmented. There was no way we could have brought them back to the living."

"Agatio…" now that the void was disappearing, Fox stood, helping Krystal to her feet. "The fight is over. What are you going to do now? Are you going to perish with the Blood Ruby, or will you continue to terrorize Lylat?"

"Is it not obvious? I will make you suffer for your sins!"

"I don't think that's very likely." Krystal interjected. Now, the particles from the Ruby coursed throughout her body and Fox's own; she and Fox were glowing in a red and golden aura, firmly holding on to one another.

"What…what are you doing?" Agatio hissed. "You're drawing the diminishing power of the blood ruby into yourselves, aren't you?"

They didn't respond. They continued glowing, building up more and more power. They looked like a God and a Goddess, standing there, surrounded by golden threads, a ring of fire forming around their feet.

"Fine…I cannot resist this demise." Agatio closed his eyes. He, too, had resigned to his own fate. "I have no more purpose in this life…I have nothing more."

And with that…Fox and Krystal burst with energy. Theirs was the final existence within the void of the now deceased Blood Ruby. They blasted off like a rocket towards Agatio, led by a golden light, red flames around them forming a fox with wings.

"You have defeated the Gods…young warriors."

During that brief moment…Agatio…the final Seer, disappeared from the realm of the living...engulfed by the burning foxes.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Wake up."

"……"

"You are Agatio, correct?"

"How do you know me?" Agatio opened his eyes to a pure white space. He attempted to sit upright, but found he was too weak. He was floating, back downwards, and he could see a visible figure looming over him. "Ah…no. I know who you are."

"That's right. You and your friends have been trying to keep tabs on me ever since you learned of Lance Callahan's existence."

"You are his other side?"

"'other side', you say? Oh heavens, no…" Agatio turned to face the speaker. It took on Lance's own form and voice, dressed in his human clothes. "While I can see into his mind, I reside in an entirely different physical being."

"That would explain why we could not read your mind…or learn anything about you." Agatio responded. "Who or what are you? How did this come to be?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you any of that. Just out of principle, you see."

"You are not a telepath?"

"No…though I share some kind of connection with the human."

"So you cannot read any other minds…"

"Nor can I control the mind to which I am so mysteriously connected."

"But you can see into his immediate consciousness?"

"Indeed. I must say…it is very fascinating, seeing into this _Blackened_ mind." The illusion chuckled. "On numerous occasions, however, I was either spotted or drawn into another's mind. Back down on Sauria, when I first discovered our connection, I was somehow forced into the mind of a SharpClaw warrior. Ah…that was the first contact I made with Mr. Callahan. I must say…I need to stay on guard. There's no telling what can happen in this Lylat System."

"Your words speak true." Agatio responded. "I advise you keep a low profile, if possible. The human suspects your presence, but has perished the thought of any investigation, if only because of Corneria's compromising situation."

"I noticed. But now he will undoubtedly search for answers. It's only a matter of time before he finds them, but it may be much longer before we reach Corneria."

"What do you plan to do?"

"We plan to avenge you, noble Cerinian." The figure put a comforting hand on the lion's shoulder. "For you see…we are birds of a feather, if you will excuse the term."

"Avenge me?"

"Just like you, we need the Lylat system for something. Unlike your kind…we are still alive, and we hope to keep it that way."

"…I wish you luck, my friend."

"It's funny…even though we've never met, I feel I know you through all the times you penetrated young Callahan's mind. I admire you, you know. I just wanted to tell you that."

"Ours is a sad story, stranger. But you need not avenge me." The lion closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "Too late I question my actions…perhaps I should have laid down my life long before this fight? The Gods have turned on me…or perhaps it is I who have turned on them? It seems that they have written my fate in stone: they meant for me to die. But for what reason? Time is short…I may not find the answers, and I regret that I can open my eyes the moment I die."

"What will happen to you?"

"I may disappear with the Blood Ruby, I suppose. Just like all living things, I suspect I will fade away."

"Yours is an interesting culture. It's sad to see it end like this."

"Farewell, stranger. And good luck with your search for life." Agatio let out one last sigh before fading from existence.

"I am returning to the beginning of all things."


	26. Chapter 26: When Ripples Become Waves

Chapter 26: When Ripples Become Waves

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Unh…" Consciousness slowly returned to Fox's groggy mind. The sun overcame him as he struggled to open his heavy eyelids.

"Hey, Fox!"

"What…? Where…" His limbs were heavy. He had trouble lifting them, much less picking himself off the ground. But he was able to slowly open his eyes, making out the blurry images of two figures above him.

"Hey! Wake up!"

"K-Krystal? Lance…?" with the help of some strong hands, Fox was propped up on the ground, sitting up straight on the hard, metal ground. "What happened? Where is everyone?"

"Everyone's okay." Lance confirmed. He straightened out, now standing above the vulpine. "You smeared Agatio and destroyed the Blood Ruby. After that…this whole ship returned to normal. No illusions, no Cerinia…just an abandoned ship. I found everyone asleep, but Krystal was the first to wake. So far you're the last."

"Oh, Fox…I'm so glad you're alright!" Krystal knelt down and threw her arms around him. "You saved me…I can't believe I actually did those things. I feel so ashamed knowing it…"

"What was it like?"

Her face fell, hesitant. "I remember everything. I…did it all willfully. I'm so sorry, Fox…I never wanted to hurt you. It's just…Agatio…"

"Krystal, don't say anything. It wasn't your fault."

"But…"

"Relax. You're back now, and that's all that matters."

"Thank you, Fox. I don't know what I would do without you." Her ears lowered as she let go of him.

Lance cleared his throat loudly.

"Haha…I haven't forgotten about you, Lance!"

"Damn right." He grinned.  
_So she remembers everything? Can't be good news for me…_

"It's a miracle we're still alive." He continued. There was a sense of awe and wisdom in his voice. "Living through all the battles against Cerinians…escaping the pull of the Blood Ruby…and even after the life support on this ship is long gone, we're still alive. Every one of us. It's moments like these that make me wonder if there really is a higher power out there."

He turned his head, gazing outside of the glass ceiling. The nearby dwar star, Solar, shone through.

"There has to be. We've defied all odds." Fox groaned, planting a firm foot to push himself off of the ground.

"Wait…if the life support is off, how is there gravity? And breathable air?"

"Peppy said the gravity was built into the ship; must be Venomian tech. And the air must be leftover. How would I know?"

"Peppy said that…? Then he's alive?"

"He's lethargic, but he's still kicking." The human nodded.

"That's right! He sent for a retrieval craft a while ago." Krystal helped Fox to his feet. "You won't have to hike all the way back to the arwings. We'll be out of here in no time!"

"Speaking of which…" replied the battered human. "It's time to mosey. Our carriage awaits."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

With a song in their hearts and a newfound sense of freedom, the team zipped through the starry night. Bursting from the alcove where the Arwings lay, they flew circles and skimmed around the surface of the conquered vessel where a secret war between technology and mysticism once waged. They danced like fireflies around the ship that had once held ominous meaning for them.

"We did it!" Slippy yelled with glee. "I can't believe it! We're alive! We won!"

"We've just made history!" Falco shouted as well. "Haha…I knew it! Ain't no way they were gonna take us down, eh?"

"It looks like their ship has returned to normal." Krystal mused, skimming over the surface of the bridge. "Agatio's influence has completely dissipated. There's…nothing left."

"Weird…there's something serene about it." Ursa chuckled. From where he was floating, he had a glorious view of Solar pouring a rain of sunlight from around the outline of the ship.

"To think…that just an hour ago…we were fighting for the fate of the world in that very cruiser." Tora remained quiet, drifting along at a much slower pace than the rest.

"General Pepper will be pleased to know of our success." Uttered Fox. "So now we can turn in and put his mind at ease."

"You think we can check in for a bounty later on?" Inquired Falco.

"No. This was a personal journey. We can't ask for a fee."

"D'aw…"

"Tch. Falco…" Tora snorted. "At a moment like this, is money all you can think about?"

"Huh? You're one to talk! When did you stop playing the tough guy?"

"Ah, he's just a cute li'l kitten on the inside." Ursa sniggered.

Everyone laughed along with them, chattering and reflecting on their harrowing adventure all the way back to the Great Fox.

Seven pairs of footsteps clattered across the floor and into the foyer. The familiar 'clean' scent welcomed them, the lights were on and the air was fresh.

"Oh yeah, back to civilization." Slippy stretched out his spine, leaning back and extending his quivering arms.

"Feels like it's been forever!"

"You guys are alive!" Peppy came hobbling out of the doorway, supported by ROB. "I'm so relieved!"

"Peppy!" the four members of the team crowded around him.

"We thought you were dead!"

"Pretty tough old ball of fuzz, eh?"  
"You wouldn't believe the stuff we saw!"

"I'm so glad you're alive!"

"Whoa, whoa, hold on a moment!" Peppy held his hands up. "Haha! Can't have too much excitement in my current condition, you know."

"You look pretty good to me, gramps!" Falco patted his back.

"Peppy…what happened?" Fox put a hand on Peppy's shoulder. "When I ran, the last I saw…and then, seeing you in that capsule…"

"I thought I was going to die, too." Peppy sighed. "I guess…I guess it just wasn't my time yet." He smiled, adjusting the collar on his jacket. "There must still be some fight in this old body."

He glanced past the four of them. "Hm?"

"…hey." Lance raised a hand to greet the senior. Ursa and Tora followed suit.

"……" Peppy sighed and hobbled over to him, staring at him from a yard away.

"???" Lance stared back, more curious than confrontational.  
_He still doesn't trust me…_

"So…you, too, huh?" Peppy smiled, despite his true opinion. Now wasn't the time to start up any fight. He was too old for that…and too forgiving, in his advanced age.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"He saved us all, Peppy." Krystal stepped between them, putting a hand on each of their shoulders, much to their surprise. She sensed suspicion in Peppy's mind, but she knew he was trying to open up his mind.

"She's right, you know." Fox placed himself behind her, nodding to this statement. "If it weren't for him…Agatio would have killed us all, and Krystal would still be under his influence. We might not have even gotten to Agatio, and I might not have been able to destroy the Blood Ruby. He risked his life for us, Peppy."

"Really?!" Peppy's eyes widened. "Is that true?"

"Yeah." He was in one of his silent moods.

"Well…" Peppy rubbed his forehead, ears lowered in anxiety. "I suppose I misjudged you, Callahan."  
_What to make of it all…? I don't know what to think. By now I've learned who to trust and who not to trust. But…this kid…who is he? Haha…even for my age…I have a lot to learn._

Krystal glanced in his direction. She could sense his confusion…but he was getting better.

"I don't know what to say." He responded. "I just felt the need to do something."

"Well…enough excitement for one day, I think." Fox turned back around. "ROB! Set a course for Corneria! We're heading home!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The sunset cast a symphony of colors on the horizon, the last sliver of daylight spitting a golden shower through the layers of red and orange and into the approaching night.

"Beautiful, ain't it? Sometimes it's easy to forget I ever left home."

"Back home we never had skies like these. Corneria's moon is so very far away, and has little effect on the world. Ours was always a different sky. Instead…the whole sky was draped in a silver veil around this time."

Two sets of green eyes gazed over a deep, green valley, and set themselves towards the place far away where the sea and sky met with the passing of the sun. The two loners leaned over a railing, gazing on towards the end of eternity.

"I thought Cerinia had two moons?"

"It's a common theme in mythology. The moon to us was a symbol of love and purity. The two moons represented the bonding of two lives for eternity."

"But in reality there's only one? Sounds kinda lonely."

"Actually, they used to believe that the two became as one, and formed the moon we knew."

He grinned. "Guess I spoke too soon."

"What about you?"

"Humans always thought it was out of reach. It was always so far away, I guess the only thing we could think about was to reach out and try to grasp it."

"_That_ sounds lonely." She giggled.

"Haha! Maybe so, but it was always a motivator. Humanity has always looked towards the stars. Somewhere deep down we thought our answers were all up there among the heavens."

"It's funny…finally knowing what really is out there."

The two remained silent for about a minute before he broke the silence.

"Earlier on the refugee ship, when you said you 'remembered everything' during your possession…"

"Uh? Yes, what about it?"

"Sorry to bring it up…but, I just have to know."

"……" she knew exactly what he was referring to. "You mean…the scar?"

He grunted. "I thought that was just Agatio using you."

"Oh, but that was all I saw in your mind! I swear it!"

He was peering into her eyes, listening carefully to her voice. Didn't seem like she was lying at all…

"Alright." He said quietly, sounding defeated.

She remained silent for a long time, staring down at the vigilante. "I'm sorry, Lance. I didn't…I couldn't have imagined something like that…" her voice began to break.

"That kid…we met when we were too young to understand our circumstances. When we finally wised up, he gave me a chance to join him and his friends. I could have had protection, money, friends…I never would have had to worry about poverty or safety again. But I would have become just like the people who did all that stuff to me."  
He pushed off the railing to stand up straight, still gazing outwards. "I guess...unlike him, I had parents around to teach me right from wrong…whenever they were around, that is. So I declined. And…you saw the result." He frowned, feeling the break in his skin where the flesh split open. It felt like a label.

"I'm sorry…I know certain memories are better left secret."

"He was my best friend. Incidentally he was also...you know...the first person I ever killed."

He stared down at his open hands for a long time.

"You know…I've never told anyone about that before."

"It must feel nice to finally get it off your chest."

She could sense his anguish; he was almost on the verge of tears…the last person she had ever imagined breaking out like that. She considered reaching out to him, but she quickly withdrew the hand.

"Nothing like that will ever happen again. Here, on Corneria, it's not like Earth or Cerinia. You can live at peace now!"

"I guess you're right." He kept his head down. He didn't want anyone to see him getting sentimental like that. Yet he knew it was pointless dodging an empath.

For several more minutes the silence pervaded.

"But what about you, Krystal? One death seems nothing next to losing your own home. You don't seem phazed a bit."

"But you know better than that, don't you?"

"It hurts on the inside. But you know you have to move on."

She nodded.

"Why did you destroy the Blood Ruby? I mean…whether or not it was the right thing to do, if you can it's hard not to try, right?"

"When we were still inside that monsterous thing, I could sense their souls."

"Huh?"

"Every last one of them…they were all begging for death. Consumed with rage, sorrow and fear…it was like nothing I had ever felt. Agatio had never saved any lives, nor could he bring them back. All he succeeded in doing was creating a hell for those souls. They were fragmented, unwhole souls. There was no way we could have revived them…but he couldn't see that."

"Damn…"

"I guess…I had to let go. For Corneria's sake. It had to be the hardest choice I've ever made."

"Having the weight of the world on your shoulders…" He mused. He remembered the feeling…it seemed like ages ago when he was flying through space in the Guardian, warding the Calluyda away from all he knew and loved.  
"...must truly be an awful feeling."

"Have you felt it before?" The vixen peered into his eyes. She could sense the same emotion from his own mind…though she knew nothing of the story.

"You might say that."  
_She still thinks Earth has been destroyed. Guess she didn't dig that deep while she was briefly a telepath._

"Hey…why are you telling me all this? I would think Fox is the first person you'd go to for this kinda thing."

"Well…he was!" She flustered. "I told him…but there's no way he could understand. He nodded his head and held my hand…" she softly held it up, caressing another invisible hand. "…but he won't understand. Not like you."

"Me?"

"Fox _has_ been through a lot, and he's an incredible person. I care deeply for him, but, the two of _us_…we've lost everything. Not just everything, our worlds. Our own _planets_...with everything gone, it's like we never existed."

_I'm never gonna see Earth again._ he thought to himself. _Doesn't that remotely live up to what you've experienced?_

The two of them were castaways…the two of them had lost everything, never to live amongst their own, never to live the lives they wanted to lead…never a chance in heaven or hell. They both suffered the same fate…a fate worse than any from their own homes could have ever imagined. However…Lance possessed the small comfort that humanity still lived on. Somewhere out there…an entire world he had saved held on to a dream and continued to progress. That in mind, he never had to mourn their deaths. While he and his fellow alien suffered this same fate, he had a small consolation she was too unfortunate to possess; dreading her own loneliness and depression, he hoped she would never learn this. She felt he was the only one who knew how she felt, and while that was true, he had no way of knowing how she would react emotionally. After all…that was the entire reason she was so excited over the arrival of another alien wanderer.

For now, he would avoid the subject. It wouldn't be a hard secret to keep.

"Does Fox know how you feel about him?"

"I don't…wait, what did you just say?"

"Haha! He reacted just the same way."

"What did you tell him??"

"What? I just cracked a few jokes! He was defensive about it, too, you know. Not like I ruined anything for you."

"Ruined what? It's not like…well…what gave you that idea anyway?"

"Every time you talk about him…I hear that tone in your voice."

"There's no tone!"

"I kinda think it's nice you found someone."

"……" She smiled nervously, at a loss for words.

"You know…we've had several of these talks. But how many times have you talked like this with Fox?"

"Plenty of times! But he just doesn't understand. Well, he does…but not like you. I can sense everyone's emotions, remember? I don't get the same reaction from everyone else that I get from you."

_Jesus Christ…she really is lonely._

"Well…I'm glad to help."

"Talking helps, doesn't it?"

"Um…if you don't mind my asking…about what someone said earlier."

"Hm?"

"Why _do_ you risk your life for Corneria? I mean…I think it's great that you want to help them out, but…to gamble with your own life seems a bit too much, don't you think?"

"……" he turned from the scene to stare at her, still leaning on the railing. "Well…" it wasn't long before he returned his serene gaze to the quickly fading sunset. "Look. I don't even know how far I am from home, and I'm never going to return. Ever. I'll never see humanity again, and you'll never see Cerinia again."

"……" she remained silent, lowering her eyes.

"As much as I hate to say it…Corneria is our home now. And nothing can ever change that."

"!!!" she straightened out, as if suddenly enlightened.

"You and me…we're Cornerians now. That's just the way it is…it's all we have now."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"How long has it been since we last sat down like this, eh, Ursa?" Falco reclined on a boulder, slanted in such a way that he could easily rest on it.

"Eight…nine…nearly ten years, it looks like." Ursa leaned back in a similar manner, leaning over a seemingly uncomfortable rock. "Ever since you went off to join Starfox…the three of us haven't all been together like this in forever. Sure…you dropped by every now and again…but it just isn't the same, eh?"

"Still isn't the same." Tora, likewise seated atop a boulder, pointed to a fourth rock.

"Ah…that's right. _She's_ not here."

"She never fit in anyway." Muttered Falco.

Ursa leaned inwards, raising a devilish eyebrow. "_Really?_ If memory serves me, that's not what you said whenever she was around!"

"Shaddup! What do you know?"

"Tch. Sounds like someone's in denial." Tora crossed his arms, staring down at the bird from atop his stone.

"You're one to talk. Ursa tells me you're engaged now."

"What? You told him? You fat sack of…"

"Whaaaat?" Ursa shrugged defensively. "Not like you wouldn't have told him by the time you two got hitched, right?"

"Rrr……"

"While we're on the subject…" Falco interjected, chucking a harmless pebble in the tiger's direction, "When I first called you up to keep an eye on the furless nobody, you mentioned something about Katt. I don't think I ever got the chance to ask you about it."

"What? _What?!_ Now _you're_ talking??"

Ursa ignored the feline's ramblings. "Yeah…about that. She called me up a few months ago, sounded kinda distressed, y'know? So we get to talking and stuff and finally she just says that she's heading off somewhere. Says she doesn't know when she'll be back…says she didn't want you to know."

"What?? Didn't want me to know…why would she do something like that? Where would she run off to?"

"She didn't say. Didn't say anything."

"And why would she call _YOU?_"

"Uh…just someone to talk to, I guess?"

"Damnit…that moron!"

"……" Tora hopped down from his mount. "Not that it's any of my business…but did you guys meet up again during your…hiatus?"

"You're right. It's _not_ your place to ask."

"It seems to me…that if she didn't say anything up until just a few months ago, it must have been something fairly recent. Am I correct?"

Ursa examined Tora's face. Sharp and determined…he was somewhat of an investigator. He always worked himself up over a decent interrogation.

"I don't need this…" Falco grumbled, stomping off.

"Yup. Just like old times." Tora took Falco's place, reclining and crossing his legs.

"Wait! Falco!" The bear jumped up to pursue his friend. "Hold on for one moment!"

He reached out for the avian's shoulder, but a feathered arm knocked it away. "What, are you gonna mock me too, Ursa?"

"Look…I know how you feel. Heck, I know why you feel it, too."

"……you don't know anything."

"You may think you're making up for something by acting all tough, playing the loner. But what do you have to show for it, Falco? Nothing."

"Don't lecture me."

"Just look at **him!** Look at Tora over there! He's a prideful little shlub just like you…"

"_I heard that!_"

"…but even he knows when to shelf his pride and move on. Now they say a li'l bit of chastity is good for the soul…but your reasoning isn't cool; it's just downright stupid."

"Oh God, you're one of _them!_"

"Look at yourself! You can't stop thinking about her and even now you're trying to shrug it off like it's nothing. Now…I don't know anything about what happened between you two…on Titania or wherever you guys were the second time, but you can't just run away from it."

"Who's running?"

"You idiot…how I live my life is my own damn business. There's no one correct philosophy, right? So who are you to question me? And another thing: You don't **ever** call me a coward. Understand?"

He took a step forward, his beak inches away from Ursa's face.

"Don't cross me again, Ursa."

And with that, Falco stomped of to who knew where. Ursa could only sigh and return to the ring. Now they were short an avian and a feline.

"That guy…tch. Thought he was gonna lay an egg for a moment there."

"Just shut up, Tora."

Just like old times.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

There he stood, feet solemnly planted, arms crossed, tail hanging motionless. Focused, contemplative, intense, he stood glaring out the window. He stood in a section of the Great Fox, staring down at the world below. They were docked, and outside the ship, dozens of workers were busy modifying different ships left and right, theirs included.

"Your father would be proud, Fox."

Fox peered over his shoulder. Peppy came strolling up to his side, staring out the window equally focused.

"You know…he used to stare out at the world just like that. I think I know exactly what you're thinking right now."

Fox snickered. "What do you say to something like that?"

"Don't say anything. Just take in the moment." He took a deep breath, unfolding his arms from behind his back. "Over the years I've seen you grow strong, decisive and just. I just want you to know…I'm glad to be a part of the crew."

"Peppy? Why the sudden speech?"

"It's just that…I just feel like I need to say something before it's too late. Or to make up for something I never said. It's hard to explain."

"Peppy? Don't talk like that!"

"No, no, don't worry, Fox." Peppy held up a hand to quell his objections. "I don't think I'm going anywhere soon."

"It's weird, looking down at them all." He digressed. "I've only just realized…just a day ago, they were all in danger. We could have lost Corneria…the entire planet."

"Just realized? Ah…a delayed reaction. It's all come down on you like…well, like a tidal wave, am I right?"

Fox nodded. "It's too much to believe. All their lives were in my hands. _Mine._"

"It's not the first time, is it?"

"First in a long time. It doesn't seem real at all…I mean, what are the chances? Out of all the people who could step up to fight like this, why would it be me? You know, it could have been anyone born the son of a war hero. It could have been anyone, to go out and take out the Venomian forces."

"Anyone?"

"You know what I mean! Why am I the one who's skilled enough to lead a squadron to fight that kind of power? What makes me so different? I've thought about it before, but it's…I can't really explain it. You know, don't you? You were part of the team!"

Peppy sighed, his ears drooping. "Well, to me…it felt like redemption."

"What…? Redemption?"

"For your father." He answered solemnly.

"……oh." His face softened, reminiscing about the past.

"Look…you've already apologized too many times. There's no need to say anything more."

"I know…but deep down I could never help but feel I failed him that day."

"There was nothing you could do."

"Pigma…we never should have trusted him! We took pity on him because of his life up until we took him in. Soon as he got back on his feet…he changed for the worst."

Peppy clenched his fist. Right now, he envisioned the Human betraying Fox…a mistake the hare would not allow a second time.

"I can't forget the sight of all those fighters rising over the horizon. They all knew we were here…they were after us. You wouldn't believe how many there were. It was like a black cloud…a whole swarm of locusts…they blackened the sky, Fox. All I remember was the fear, the paralyzing fear. All I could think about was escape."

"……"

"He always put his needs second, and his crew's first. Always stayed calm and collected, always had a plan, always prepared."

"Peppy…"

He put a hand on the shoulder of his surrogate son. "Fox, somewhere out there…your father's looking down on you, smiling. Don't mourn, just smile back. You're just like him."

And with that, the team's senior member left the lead vulpine on his own.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The following afternoon, dirt scuffled around; one sword of a strange design and origin was thrust into the ground at a steep angle. A furless hand twisted and wedged it further into the soil before placing its counterpart beside it in similar fashion.

_Here you are._ A serene mind thought. _Here on this hill, it's a perfect view of the moon. Seems like the perfect location for a culture like yours, eh? I think this is the only real grave any of you guys have…so feel lucky, wherever you are._

The Urban Soldier stood there, staring at the memorial.

"We'll have to build around it." He said out loud. "They seemed too important to just leave in the dark. I kinda feel sorry for them, know what I mean?"

"That's unlike you." Fox stood several yards behind him. "But then again…you're somewhat of a mystery, aren't you, Mr. Cosmic Castaway?"

"What, you think I can't show compassion?." It was one of the traits he prided himself with having.

"So what are you gonna do now?"

"I hear Zoness is lovely this time of year." He grumbled, stuffing his hands in his pocket. At the moment, he was a tad more formally dressed, by Cornerian standards. Draped in what appeared to be a trenchcoat, he pulled the collar around his cheeks. The wind outside was cold…

"What he said…it bothered me."

"It would scare anyone." This time, Slippy spoke. "Fox told us what he said about your future, your life, your fate and all that."

"But don't you remember? He also said the future wasn't written in stone." Fox added.  
At the same time, he was thinking about his own future; Rubio had said that a life of happiness awaited him.

"I should start by learning about this other 'presence' inside of me. I have a theory or two…back on the Krazoa palace, against the Cerinians, everywhere I go there's some kind of evidence for it. But where do I start looking?"

"I'm afraid that isn't something we can tell you." Peppy responded, hauling himself up the hill. "You have to look inwards for something like that…this is a personal journey, just like the one Krystal just went through."

"Peppy…you're walking on your own again."

"Glad you noticed." He huffed. "I wanted to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"We got off on the wrong foot, I believe. I would rather we be allies, to tell you the truth." His nose twitched. To avoid another betrayal, he knew that stalking him around in frantic paranoia wasn't going to solve anything. Peppy was a wise old man…he could shelf his own feelings if needed.

"Really?"

"I'm too old to hold grudges. And for now…I think you've proven you're loyal to the Lylat system." He offered his hand. Lance examined it in surprise, but readily accepted the gesture.

Soon after, Falco and Krystal approached the hill. The former was the first to speak.

"Well…we confirmed the operation with General Pepper, and Ursa and Tora left."

"Already? We didn't even say goodbye!" Slippy pouted.

"They said they've got unfinished business to take care of." Falco shrugged. "No idea what that might be, though."

"That's a shame." Lance shook his head. "Whatever…we'll keep in touch."

He turned to the grave, continued watching it. He heard some footsteps behind him, passing him up and walking closer to the memorial. Krystal knelt down to honor the grave.

"Do you still have that tiara Agatio gave you?"

"Yes…why?"

"Just curious. All the 'spoils' from the fights against the Cerinians…I just thought they'd make good memorabilia. Or aritifacts. Something like that."

"I'm grateful you want to do this."

"They deserve this much...I don't want their, or your culture to fade." He looked up at the morning sky, clouds swimming across the deep blue. It was so much cleaner and clearer than Earth's sky…so much more vast.  
"They'll live on through you, Krys."

Fox stepped forward, placing his hands on his hips. "So…where to now, Lance?"

"Same as always. Off to save the world." He chuckled.

Fox grinned. "So you're just going to live out the rest of your days here?"

"I guess I can find a place." He cleared his throat. His eyes were sharp and decisive as always. "Doesn't look like I really have any way to put my skills to use…Corneria doesn't have the same criminal issues Earth does."

"Heheh…that's not entirely true."

"What do you mean?"

"There's always going to be a new enemy to fight, correct?"

"Correct."

"Ever heard of the Sargasso Pirates? The Meteo Crew?"

"Of course, but…"

Fox cut him off. "Well, if we're going to clean this place up, I think we could use someone like you." He put a hand on the human's shoulder.

"……" Lance paused. "Wait a minute…you mean to say…"

The other team members walked up behind Fox, watching him with intent eyes and smug grins.

"Hey, we were requested to babysit you anyway. Might as well make yourself useful while you're here." Falco popped his neck, tilting his head left and right.

"So what do you say, Lance? You can do a lot more with us than you can on your own." He held out a silver badge in the palm of his hand, depicting a Fox's head placed in front of two extended wings.

A modest smile slowly spread across the human's face, cautiously reaching out for the pin. "Geez…I guess…" he stammered, quietly. "Thank you."

He held it up in the light, inspecting it like he had just got his hands on an ancient treasure.

"Glad to have you on the team, Callahan!" Fox lightly punched him in the shoulder.

Lance nodded, placing the badge over his jacket over the left chest.

"Lance Callahan, Human…I hearby announce you as the Starfox squadron's designated Footsoldier."

Thus began his new life in the Lylat system, countless miles away from home, without any chance of return. From the moment he set foot in the new world, from the moment he realized his situation…how could he have predicted the consequences of his arrival? His very existence was a poison in this world, much like the great power he had fought to save his own homeworld half a century ago.

Did he suspect that strangers uttered his name? Somewhere, far off through the cosmos, down on a familiar horizon, history hailed him as one of humanity's greatest heroes. Alongside six other heroes and martyrs, this lone human had thrust his world into a new generation of prosperity. And what of Corneria? Here, he had already established himself as an outsider, given humanity a fiersome yet respectable reputation, and had aided in a tragic, secret war.

And from that moment on, Rubio's prophecy had been set in motion.

Enjoy your days in Lylat while you can, hero…they will soon become your undoing.


	27. Extra Chapter: Cultural Summary

Chapter 27: Lance's Thesis

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

**Cornerians**

General Information

Corneria is the fourth planet in the Lylat system, home to the alien race known as Cornerians. Corneria's geography and status resemble those of Earth; roughly 70 percent of the planet's surface is covered in water, and the planet itself is slightly smaller in diameter than the Earth. The Lylat system itself contains all terrestrial planets, the largest of which is Venom.

-

Cornerians originate on the homeworld of the same name, but have expanded and migrated into other worlds. Recently, the Cornerian government has funded colonization in areas outside the immediate system, but such expansion is currently very limited.

-

Corneria's historical records span back as far as 8,000 years ago. After four, however, records become obscure, represented by numerous varying accounts.

-

Technology has advanced considerably, though scientific knowledge appears to span an unpredictably small amount ahead of human science. Due to the rate of Cornerian progression, Cornerians have been able to apply this knowledge more easily than humans.

-

Archaeological evidence shows that the Cornerian industrial revolution occurred several millenia ago, and that the newest era since then was the dawn of the space age.

For the sake of comparison: the human achievements during the year 2000 AD would be equal to Corneria 2000 years ago. As mentioned, though Cornerians progress more slowly than Homo-Sapien, they have been growing since the beginning of their known existence, while humans have only displayed significance growth spanning from the Rennaissance. Using this particular event as a focal point, one can infer:

2000 years of progression for Cornerians = 600 years for humans.

Physiology

In general, Cornerians are consistent in skeletal and muscular structure, mirroring that of humans almost completely. With subtle differences, such as head, tail and build, the Cornerians show many standards, in spite of their diverse nature. All Cornerians are anthropomorphic bipeds whose different races and ethnicities parallel the variety of Earth's own taxonomical heirarchy. The most obvious similarity to Earth's fauna are the tail, head, and body surface.

-

With that in mind, anatomy and biomechanics work exactly the same as they would concerning any Homo-Sapien. Medicinal theories and cures remain consistently effective for all Cornerians as well as humans as do medical procedures as a whole.

-

The Cornerian race covers four animal kingdoms: avians, reptilians, amphibians, (the least numerous) and mammalians. (the most numerous of the four) All species of fish are absent. Ethnicity further breaks down these four groups all the way up the heirarchal ladder.

How and why Cornerians resemble species located light years away from their own homeworld, and how and why their overall physiology represents that of humans remains a mystery.

-

It seems that cross-breeding is generally possible (and acceptable) so long as the parents in question are a part of the same kingdom. In other words, mammals can produce offspring with mammals, reptiles with reptiles, and so on. For example, a tiger and a cat will certainly be able to breed, and it seems that even something like a monkey/bear hybrid is feasible. There are several exceptions, however, as certain classes have proven incompatible with one another. Aquatic mammals serve as the foremost example.

Technology

Corneria entered the space age roughly two millenia ago, listing their encounter on Sauria as an event taking place just over 2,000 years ago(ISF Sauria Manual, 28/I). The planet also ended its 'renaissance' era nearly two thousand years before that, losing all but a handful of historical records even further back in time. Judging by these statistics, it may be safe to say that Corneria has historically progressed much, much slower than Humans. This may be due to the fact that Cornerians have for the most part lived as a unified race, free of the same international conflicts humanity causes. For humans, most technology in everyday use in some way originates from the military; technology adapted for civilian use. As the saying goes, "war is the seed of creation."

Likewise, Corneria's wars consist of rebellions—such as the recent Venomian war—which are quickly stamped out. With little to no competition to force progress, this may be the reason for their slower advancements. This may also lead one to question why Corneria is so far ahead of Earth. It could also be a result of their unification; if this unique social relationship has lasted for their entire history, they could have begun progressing since the dawn of their existence. In contrast, human science has only shown notable change starting some time around or even before the fourteenth century, not even a millenium ago. Records from both worlds support this hypothesis.

Finally, it is worth noting that Corneria's scientific knowledge in and of itself is only a short step ahead of Earth. The only difference is that they possess the time and resources to apply that knowledge.

-

Current technology is slowly spanning into "zero-space" and advanced astrophysics. The most recent scientific advancement is a "warp gate" developed by the late Beltino Toad, a teleportation device intended to enable instant transport to far off points in space. More common transportation covers space travel, now accessible enough for most civilians to afford. However, aristocrats, businesses and a few ex-soldiers compose of the group able to afford interplanetary ships. For much of the populace, however, Lylatean travel is the equivalent to Human airlines.

-

Predictably, medical technology outclasses that of humans. However, as advancements solve old problems, new diseases and viruses give rise. Although the rate of health-related fatalities is considerably low, many still pass on as a result of new, incurable diseases. The most recent of these diseases is the "Red Vivian," named for its first victim, Vivian Hare. In spite of these shortcomings, Lylat far makes up for it with other theories; surgical procedures have evolved so greatly that there are few problems outside of medicine which Cornerians cannot solve. Again, there are limitations; since the tragic accident of a famous Cornerian flight instructor, spinal correction has recently become a hotly debated topic.

-

Another popular subject among Humans has become taboo among Lylat. Gene splicing and genetic engineering is very possible and easily attained, and the system has even completed its own genome project. However, when the system first attempted mass experimentation with altered DNA, they witnessed a severe cleansing period in which unprecedented consequences took place. Predicting that all faults caused by gene splicing can be solved by gene splicing, scientists continued altering the genetic structure, only succeeding in further scrambling the already mutilated genes. Eventually, the government halted the project, outlawing nearly all gene splicing activity.

With the advent of incredible medical capabilities, Cornerians—not unlike humans—have bypassed the law of natural selection. Ergo, individuals with weak genes are allowed to live and pass those genes off into later generations, all the while avoiding genetic cleansing. New diseases and medical problems appeared, and the medical world responded simply by finding new solutions to these problems. When the government recognized that the problem was growing far too big, they began funding geneticists to solve the problem permanently. At that time, their knowledge on genetics was very limited, and all experiments resulted in failure, as mentioned above. Many of the tampered genes affected traits outside the predicted sphere of influence. For example, if a single nucleotide is replaced or moved out of line, the effect may be as small as fur color, or it may be as detrimental as placing several miniature wings on the middle of a young bat's forehead. Eventually, the greatest of scientific minds were able to complete the aforementioned genome project, and through years of trial and error mapped out the most ideal "natural traits" for Cornerian youth. Even today the science is incomplete, and things become all the more complicated when accounting for differences in race, but the situation is far more optimistic than 1,500 years ago.

The most recent and possibly the most influentiaal scientist in the field of genetics was a primate who is accriedited with having made half a millenium's worth of research in under a decade. Consequently, this success is commonly attributed to two abnormal learning abilities which allowed him equal success in the field of communications and biotechnology. The researcher's name was Andross.

-

Cornerian weaponry, though scientifically advanced, is _shamefully_ outclassed by human weaponry. Humans still utilize kinetic weapons, expending a finite amount of materials through the usage of firearms and explosives. All of Lylat, on the other hand, has long ago banned the use of solid projectile weapons, strictly limiting the military and civilians alike to energy based weaponry. About a century before this law was passed, the military had developed a firearm which drew energy from a built in fuel cell, expendable but replaceable. As the years progressed, energy efficiency grew to the point where an interchangeable fuel cell was obsolete; the self-sustaining battery would be enough to last the weapon until it broke down or in turn grew obsolete. After 800 years, "blasters," due to their energy-efficient design, still lack the capacity to effectively kill an individual the way human weapons can, and yet the government and military both oppose such brutality. This reluctance to build newer, better weapons stems from Corneria's great lack of footsoldiers, which in turn is due to the fact that the few wars that do take place occur in space or in the air, where close quarters combat becomes irrelevant.

For the few footsoldiers the military still uses—all of whom are now referred to as Special Operatives—simple blasters are enough to incapacitate most opponents, with the recently introduced "charge blasters" causing more damage but take more time to fire. Casualties caused by blaster fire is rare, and reflects on the paradoxical aspect of Lylatean warfare.

-

The self-replenishing fuel cells used to power blasters are also applied to everyday life, filling entire cities with power using a single generator. According to the Lylatean Department of Science and Technology, once powered and activated, the cell utilizes an internal arc reactor to maintain a consistent level of power, which can then be extracted and used elsewhere. Meanwhile, the reactor itself continues to circulate and generate energy, at a certain point ceasing production and maintaining power for future use.

Sociology

The term "Cornerian" refers to the race of anthropomorphic bipeds originating on the Planet Corneria, fourth planet of the Lylat system. Corneria and Sauria are the only two planets from which all sentient Lylatean life originates, though most others are capable of supporting some form of life. Many Cornerians have populated many other planets in the system, but all Titanians, Fichinians, etc are of the Cornerian race.

-

The term "Lylatean" is used as an umbrella term for all citizens of the Unified Republic of Lylat. This includes but is not limited to Cornerians, (citizens of the homeworld or the race itself) Saurians, Aquarians, Titanians, and so on.

-

The most notable trait about Cornerians is that they are a completely unified race. As a result of their seemingly limitless diversity, there are no social norms for appearance or genetic traits, and Cornerians as a part of society are forced to accept one another. Consequently, never once in history has racial bias been an issue.

The entire Cornerian race mirrors nearly all of Earth's vertebrates, minus fish. Considering all the possible combinations when taking crossbreeding into account, there are no species numerous enough to establish dominance or superiority within the system.

This has given Cornerians an amazingly accepting, open-minded nature.

-

Stranger yet, all Cornerians speak the same native language. Upon first encounter with Sauria, 2,000 years ago, (_SF Sauria Manual, 28_) Cornerians introduced phonetic speech to the populace, unintentionally giving birth to a cypher language. Afterwards, Cornerians developed several other code languages to relay secret messages for whatever purpose, but these languages are all artificial, based on Cornerian grammar and phonetics.

Finally, this single language all of Lylat speaks is _English_. What's more, even the Cerinians spoke it. More conjecture on this later.

-

The Cornerian government is said to be very trustworthy, in contrast with the typified human authorities. One reason for this may be their financial status; with newer technology such as the arc reactor, the general populace has gained much financial and influential independence from the federal government. As the years passed, the government lost much of its leverage over the people, and as the saying goes: "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." The converse proves true as well.

Military

As mentioned above, Cornerian weaponry leaves much to be desired. The greatest of all weapons they have to boast are the admittedly impressive cannons used in space combat. However, these are still short range, only able to reach ships on the same battlefield. The only long range weapons Cornerian battleships possess are missiles with near perfect targeting systems, filled with some sort of antimatter chamber, which, upon detonation, will annihilate an entire ship.

-

The vast majority of all soldiers comprise pilots and space mariners, while an even larger majority of military personnel in general make up logistics. During the Cornerian shift into the space age, a large portion of the Navy salvaged its materials and rebuilt the vessels as spaceships, renaming themselves the "Space Navy." The few they left behind merged with the ever diminishing army to form a sort of Military Police or National Guard for oceanic environments such as Corneria's Western Sea and the planets Zoness and Aquas. Meanwhile, the remaining footsoldiers, including marines, ground troops, paratroopers, the newly introduced space marines, and the special forces themselves are all collectively referred to simply as Special Ops. These footsoldiers are a minority in the military, due to the advent of spacial and aerial warfare. During peace, they act as law enforcers, and during wartime act as a National Guard, providing a last line of defense against possible invaders. There are also some occasions in which Special Forces are required outside of guarding the homeland, such as Fox McCloud's mission on the planet Sauria. Despite the Space Navy's prestige, the Air Force was the first and most successful branch to pioneer space warfare, and still possesses bases on planets' surfaces.

There are no Black Operatives in the Cornerian Military.

-

Even though most soldiers move on to become pilots of one profession or another, every single recruit must take the same training through the prestigious Cornerian Flight Academy. During these years, students learn flying skills as well as close quarters combat and mechanical skills. The materials are all mandatory, but upon fulfilling these requirements, students are allowed and encouraged to pursue any of these fields as they please. Statistically, most students either pursue a career in flight, or not at all. After that, professions in hand to hand combat is the next most common, even though most of these students end up joining the mechanics. No matter what skills are displayed on a student's record, the military—not unlike that of the United States—has a high demand for logistics and management.

-

Organization is sloppy and informal; discipline and resocialization are non-existent compared to Earth. Suffice to say, the special ops suffer harsher training than the Space Navy and Air Force do, yet even that fails to live up to Human expectations.

The entire Military itself is headed by a single general, General Pepper, while Field-Marshalls underneath him run the individual branches. In this sense, military hierarchy adheres to many norms likewise held by numerous human military systems.

The sense of unity within the Cornerian Military is no where near as tightly knit as human soldiers. Each of them still maintains a unique sense of self, as none of them are resocialized or broken down into true warriors. This lack of unity may account for Corneria's historical failure as warriors, though this also contributes to the rise of individual "shining stars," the most obvious examples of which would be the Star Fox team or widely recognized and decorated soldiers such as Bill Grey and Katt Monroe.

-

These aforementioned individuals are the military's saving grace, four of whom were able to defeat an entire Air Force which the whole Cornerian defense force could not defeat. Likewise, a particular event twenty years ago depicts an extraterrestrial lifeform known as the Aparoid—equivalent to Earth's Calluyda—destroyed an entire fleet of ships before it was finally defeated. (_Beltino, SF Assault_)

In this sense, Corneria's incompetence is astounding, if not pitiful.

Religion

For the most part, Cornerian religions are monotheistic, following a human archetype of a single God and a sacrificial lamb. Upon death, souls reach either one of two afterlives, Heaven and Hell, represented by their own renditions of God and the Devil. Due to Corneria's open minded nature, most religious individuals tend to be rational, open to all conflicting scientific findings while at the same time holding true to their faith.

**Cerinians**

Overview  
Cerinia is a ruined world, home to the near-extinct race of anthropomorphs named for the planet. Cerinians very closely resemble Cornerians in both physiology and speech, but are set apart by a distinctive blue, white or purple hue of fur and a british accent, respectively.

The latter is another ludicrous mystery to which there is currently no answer. Until more conclusive evidence is found, the issue will remain in the air.

While Corneria, rich in natural resources, grew in the field of science and technology, Cerinians developed unique psychic knowledge and a more deeply spiritual understanding of the world around them.

The Cerinian race currently is almost completely extinct, with the exception of a lone female, Krystal, now almost twenty years of age. This sole survivor is the source of all of the following information, but even her knowledge is limited, having been separated from the now-defunct planet while still a young child.

Psionics

While Corneria developed impressive technology and made great strides in the field of science, Cerinia chose the mystical path, adapting to more metaphysical ways of life.

This decision has proved fruitful, as the civilization has come up with ways to channel the essence of life energy itself, applying it in a number of ways. While the scientific nature of this life force—which they refer to as their Aura—is unknown _at the moment_, it is clear that they have truly created a system beyond standard physical understanding.

-

Psionics are divided into several categories and classifications. First, all abilities fall into one of two main groups: cognitive and active powers. The former is further broken down into two more categories: Extrasensory Perception, and Telepathy. The latter is the ability to interact with the mind of another sentient being, relaying data between the two minds. This can work either way, with the telepath reading the mind of the subject in question, or sending data to influence the subject. As a telepath grows more and more skilled, all parts of the brain will be open to their influence. Espers, though very useful in their own right, were regarded as the weakest of all Psychics. Like Telepaths, they can receive information, but rather than reading a living being's mind, they draw data directly from the universe around them. Examples of this are Clairvoyance, Precognition and Psychometry. Moving back up the ladder, Active Psionics refers to any power which can physically influence the world through paranormal means. This in turn is broken down into several groups, the most prominent of which are Matter Manipulation and Energy Manipulation, which grants the user control over all forms of matter and energy, respectively. Various abilities fall under an unmarked category, such as Agatio's ability to bend the very fabric of space, or Krystal's innate spirit-channeling power.

-

When one begins his or her training with psionics, the student begins training specifically under one of these four main classes. (Esper, Telepath, Telekinetic, Psychokinetic) As training progresses, the student's mind adapts to that particular class, disallowing abilities from any of the other three classes. However, several disciples choose to train under more than one class, and though their minds adapt to all of the aspired sets, the student is considerably weaker and more restricted in each field. However, this can also lead to new abilities impossible through any individual path.

-

Cognitive architecture remains exactly the same between Cornerians and Cerinians, as well as humans. Theoretically, any Human or Cornerian could therefore learn to use these systems as well as any Cerinian. Physiology also plays a small factor, which begs the question as to how Psychic usage would differ between the three races. Several cultures back on Earth have come up with various systems to try and harness this anomalous power, but to no avail. By drawing several aspects from Cerinian and Human mysticism, (such as Indian Chakras) gaps between facts and fiction are easily filled, and a more firm understanding of the system as a whole can be achieved.

Though all races can theoretically attain these powers, some are born with higher power and potential than most. Such individuals are referred to as "Seers" on Cerinia, and "Indigo Chilren" on Earth. On Cerinia, these Seers received special attention, ushered into a society full of powerful psychics where they were trained to cultivate and use their powers for the betterment of the world. More commonly, some Seers are born with certain inherited skills which cannot be learned or passed on (unless in the case of the mixed psychic training described above). The same may apply to Humans or Cornerians, who have not yet pursued the field or found a way to discover and tap into these innate powers.

All but one of the small band of Cerinian refugees who threatened the Lylat system happened to be Seers. The normal Cerinian, a pale fox named Topius, accompanied them due to his Channeling ability.

-

As physiology plays a factor in how the aura is channeled and manipulated, movements and martial arts play a common role in Active psionic powers. For example, Lord Onyx's power and usage was characterized by forceful, heavily rooted movements to evoke the strength of the physical world around him. It is also worth noting that he was far more solid and muscular than the other Cerinians.

Further playing on the physical aspects, all Cerinians traditionally wore tiaras featuring a single jewel placed over the third-eye area on their forehead. This also ties into the Indian theory of Chakras, as the third eye was said to be sixth chakra, representing truth and human insight. Seventh chakra, located directly on the crown, represents the human connection to the cosmos, and in the case of Lazu, Onyx, and Agatio, their heads were also bare. Agatio went so far as to remove his mane, (though there could be another explanation for this strange act) and Onyx even inscribed a tattoo which covered his forehead and crown, and circumscribed his jewel, embedded to enhance its effect on his powers.

The tiara is little more than an amplifier for psychic output. On the other hand, Agatio also created a jewel which could contain a piece of another Cerinian's aura, and pass on their power to the tiara's wearer. Other methods for drawing out psionic power can be attained, such as body piercing and tattoos, though using crystals are the most widely accepted. But every method involves the body's focal points of energy—again drawing a parallel to Chakras.

The reason for the variety of colors and types of jewels is unknown.

Despite having the capability, not all Cerinians are psychics.

Physiology

Comparable to Cornerians, Cerinians were likewise human in overall structure, featuring many beastial characteristics. While various shades of blue were the predominant color of skin surface, others may have appeared, including black, silver or other very rare exceptions.

Cerinians were generally more lithe and fragile than both humans and Cornerians. While no evidence can be found as to why, the foremost hypothesis states that the planet's gravity may have been weaker than Earth's and Corneria's.

Culture

In contrast with Corneria, Cerinia is a much more spiritually oriented culture.

While Corneria represents western culture in terms of philosophy, technology and religion, Cerinia acts as the east. Their religions tend to lean more towards _self_-enlightenment and the individual's place in the universe, rather than using Corneria's subjugating, monotheistic approach. They believe that all matter in the universe is composed of the same spiritual energy, and once a mortal vessel dies, the soul moves on to become one with the universe, also referred to as the "cradle," or the "beginning of all things." The fundemental concepts are the same, but other beliefs vary from one group to another, such as psionics and reincarnation.

In these beliefs, Cerinian's somewhat resemble Earth's East Indian civilization.

-

Because of Cerinians' ability to connect more closely with eachother and the world around them, the race itself attained a mutual collective understanding not unlike that of Corneria.

However…Cerinia appears to have begun as a matriarchal society, if anything. Though the advent of psychic communication changed this tradition very early on in their development, subtle traces of female dominance existed even until the end of their days. A possible explanation for this may stem from the planet's most predominant cultural symbol: Cerinia's moon, which, due to it's closer proximity to the planet, appeared much larger and became a more prominent figure in shaping their culture.

Krystal explained that the moon symbolizes connection through love. Countless tales and stories allude to the same myth which tells of two lovers—symbolized by the two moons the world claimed to have possessed—who unified and changed the world. At the same time, their celestial counterparts merged, leaving the maternal female half intact.

On earth, the moon has traditionally stood as a feminine symbol, (Round, curvy objects are feminine; angular, obtuse shapes are masculine.) closely tied with nature. Archetypes also connect women with nature and the earth itself, while men have commonly been associated with the heavens.

This has clearly played a huge part in how the Cerinians think; while both genders _for the most part_ have always been considered equal, the ongoing lunar themes in society still ensured a dominant connotation to womanhood as the lifegivers. Cerinian theology also shows more common usage of Goddesses than Gods. This is what humans would call the "divine feminine," and Earth's equivalent to this particular theme would be most closely tied with the Greek Goddess, Artemis.

Again, despite having matriarchal overtones, several of Cerinia's most powerful Seers have been male, such as the famous Lord Daemon, an owl who was said to have once reversed the flow of life.

**Saurians**

Overview  
The Saurians are a sentient race of prehistoric creatures of all assortments. They are mostly reptilian, with the exception of the Snowhorns, which resemble mastadons.

The Saurians represent Earth's wildlife, but more than 30,000 years ago and even before that. Unlike the Cornerians, the Saurians have not physically evolved further than their Earthling counterparts, though they are capable of speech and higher thought. The exceptions to this rule are the Redeye tribe, who are mentally equal to their tyrannosaur counterparts, and the Sharpclaw, allosaurs with opposable thumbs.

While most of these dinosaurs were never found during the same time period on Earth, they are all present in the same time _and_ place here on Sauria. For example, Protoceratops (Earthwalkers on Sauria) lived in the Cretaceous period, and went extinct long before the appearance of the Mastodon (Snowhorns) several eras afterward. This rule does not apply for Saurians, though the race is predominantly composed of Cretaceous and Jurassic species.

Religion  
Little is known about Saurian theology, except that they consider the ancient race of the Krazoas divine. Though they show no signs of worship, they believe in a form of animism linked directly to the Krazoas.

Due to religious beliefs, they are reluctant to tell outsiders anything but the basest elements of their religion.

Technology  
Saurians never developed the same technological capacity as Cornerians, partially because of their isolationist ideals. The most they have ever, and ever hope to achieve are cheap imitations of the same "theo-tech" found in the Krazoa Palace. In spite of their reactionist approach to change and their embrace of tradition, a recent spike in higher capability has appeared.

This is supposedly the result of Andross' encounter with the Sharpclaw leader, Scales, who agreed to serve him in exchange for technology that surpassed even that of the Cornerian Military. The Sharpclaw are the only tribe with opposable thumbs, and consequently the only tribe that advocates any kind of progress. Historical documents show that the Sharpclaw had not previously used military force to their ends, but have always held this specific view.

-

One may wonder how, without the right appendages, the Saurians managed to build structures similar in nature to those seen on Earth. Predictably, the answer lies within the most highly evolved group: The Sharpclaw. As the only tribe capable of utilizing tools, they have always been inventors and vital members of all construction projects. This is also the source of their economic power and their inventive nature.

For as long as the Saurians have existed, the Sharpclaw have always been the clearly defined forerunners of technology. But because of the majority of the planet's protest to most forms of advancement, the Sharpclaw have either never had the chance to grow or have always been cooperative with the majority's orders—until Andross' arrival, that is.

Language

Saurians display much of the linguistic capability Humans and Cornerians have, able to use speech patterns and audibly create sounds used in common English.

The language itself is a derivative of English/Lylatean, resulting in a cypher language rather than an entire system of its own.

**Krazoa**

Overview

The Krazoas are an ancient race thought to be extinct, who left behind no more than a rainy fortress where only wraiths preside. So far the structure has shown no signs of deterioration, even having stood for many thousands of years.

Other than that, the Krazoas are nowhere to be found, and the Saurians claim that the race ascended to a higher plane before creating the dinosaurs. Only a select few Dino tribes know of the true history of the Krazoas, but for religious purposes are unwilling to divulge the secrets to any outsiders.

Remnant spirits are rumored to appear before individuals during times of great need, such as Fox McCloud during his Saurian mission seven months ago.

-

Note: If Sauria is supposed to represent prehistorical Earth, the word "Krazoa" may be a reference to the geological timescale in palaeontology. (paleozoa, mesozoa, _Krazoa_, etc.) If this is the case, it stands to reason that the Krazoas predated the current Saurian races and disappeared as evolution marched on.

This is conjecture, not proven fact.

Religion

Unknown, though the Saurians appear to regard the Krazoas as sacred, frequently referring to a single "Mighty Krazoa God." (_Andruf, SF Sauria_)

Physiology

Unknown, though several statues depict the Krazoas as humanoids with disproportionately large heads and almond shaped eyes, similar to the rumored aliens at Roswell. All of the statues feature metallic halos around their heads.

This may not be a reflection of the Krazoa's true form.

It is worth noting that every Lylatean thus far has agreed that I closely resemble the Krazoa.

Technology

Unknown.

The Krazoas have left behind a single fortress known as the "Krazoa Palace," considered by the Saurians to be holy ground. This solemn edifice possesses a unique combination of technology and mysticism, exemplified by "magic" teleporters and anti-grav platforms scattered haphazardly throughout the palace. The syphon in which Krystal was imprisoned is a perfect example of the magical/technological juxtaposition; it uses some degree of circuitry and mechanical elements while channeling a somewhat supernatural energy throughout the entire castle.

Little is known beyond what the Krazoa Palace can reveal to researchers.

Culture and Society

Unknown

Military

Unknown

**Other**

It seems totally infeasible that three entirely separate worlds can resemble one another so closely, not only in terms of geological properties, but in a cultural and even linguistic sense as well.

Having been presented with the prospect of ealier universal contact, many experts have taken this theory into consideration. But comparing all archaeological records have revealed no explanations for these curious similarities. Cornerians, Cerinians and Humans may share common physical attributes because of evolutionary progress, the odds of which are incredibly low. If these events are not coincidental, perhaps a universal paradigm exists between all sentient worlds in the universe? Several scientists speculate that there is a "collective consciousness" in the universe—Gaia Theory on a more drastic scale—that dictates common evolutions which occur throughout the cosmos. Critics question the theory when considering language similarities.

Until science comes up with a concrete solution to this mystery, the "Universal Paradigm" is currently the most widely accepted substitute.


	28. Chapter 28: Happy Days

Chapter 28: Happy Days

Note: Only the first part really concerns itself with the main story, and the rest is extras and fillers.  
So until the second arc officially begins, the only question is whether or not Fox can get himself some action. Enjoy!

Oh...and if you can find my DeviantARTaccount, that's a little further ahead of the game than the one here on .

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Look…that's all very fine and dandy, what with saving Lylat and all…but…"

"But what? You gotta relax! You'll die of stress if you keep working yourself ragged like that."

"Relax? Who's got time for that? The truth is just waiting out there for us!"

"Truth? _Truth?_ Bah! Who cares? I got my chips 'n dip 'n my salad…it's all good."

"You're far too lax. Lazy, bird-brained, flying dust rag."

"Bald, ugly ape."

"Tch…fine. Maybe Fox'll have a bit more sense in his head than you do."

A doorway opened up to reveal a frowning, humanoid face on the other side. In the room beyond sat a blue avian reclined on a chair, reaching into a transparent bowl of some kind of dry finger food.

"Have it your way, kid!" Falco over the armrest, yelling at the human, now gone.

"Heh. Workaholic."

On the other side of the door, stalking through the corridors, the human climbed a ladder through a hole in the ceiling and into a large, nearly empty room with minimal furnishings and a lovely window view into the planet outside.

The Great Fox was currently docked on Corneria, being repaired by a handful of hired workers. Standing front of the window, a heroic vulpine with an athletic build stood gazing thoughtfully outward.

"Falco doing okay?" Fox hadn't even turned his head; his keen ears picked up on Lance's approach.

"Okay enough to be his old self again…stubborn as ever."

Fox chuckled and turned sideways to face the human, leaning against the window with his arms crossed. "Good to hear, good to hear."

"So what do you think about my proposal?"

"It makes sense…but don't you think the military would have found something by now?"

"Not necessarily." This time, an elderly hare tip-toed in from the side of the room. "They only eradicated the remainder of Andross' active facilities before quarantining the planet. They wouldn't have even considered a thorough search."

"Ah, Peppy. Didn't see you there. Were you hiding from me?"

He chuckled. "Don't count on it, _Footsoldier_." Peppy stroked his chin, strolling over to Fox. "At any rate…in order to do as Lance suggests, we'd have to go through the bureaucrats to do it. And that takes time and effort."

"So assuming we even jump through all these hoops, do you think it'll all be worth it?" Fox shrugged. "Will we even find anything?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Lance replied. "This Andross guy has got his influence everywhere. First there are all these bioweapons popping up, then there was General Shears' rebellion on Titania, and now we've just found out he did some shady stuff over on Cerinia. Looking at Sauria, who knows if he has another way to revive himself? I don't doubt he's got even more bad karma to throw our way."

"So he curses Corneria even from beyond the grave…" Peppy mused darkly.

"Exactly. And to prevent any more of this stuff from biting us in the ass, we gotta go find this stuff and snuff it out."

"Actually…I think you might have a point."

"So we can't just head straight down to Venom, can we? Even if we had the gear?"

"No. The military marked it as a quarantined planet." Peppy remarked. "Safety is only half the concern, so we would need special permission to get down there."

"Don't worry about it. Peppy and I will take care of all the negotiations." Fox nodded. "You just sit tight and oversee all the repairs, y'hear?"

Lance hesitated. "How long do you think it'll take to process?"

The other two glanced awkwardly at each other. "Probably…two or three months, at best."

"………"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Part 1: Flying Lessons

-------

"Oh, you're kidding me." four Arwings blazed through Cornerian airspace. Three of them soared gracefully through the clouds, while one of them shook clumsily back and forth, giving more of a crawling appearance than anything else.

"You Igotta/I be kidding."

"You gotta calm down…" an amphibious mug appeared on-screen. "You've never piloted before! We can't expect you to get it immediately."

"_Calm down_? We've been at this for an hour and I still can't even pull off some of the most basic moves!" he grumbled from within the cockpit.

"I guess even you have your limitations."

"……"

"Don't worry, Lance." Said Krystal. "It takes a while. No one gets it at first!"

His eyelid twitched. He couldn't help but notice how she was speaking as if she was instructing him.

"Except for you, that is." His retort was, in part, a compliment.

_The hell…and she learned faster than I am now. She's flying goddamn circles around me!_

"Hey, I'm not complaining!" A cocky voice taunted over the speakers. "This is turning out to be good exercise for me! Heheh…"

"Shut it, Falco! Seriously…you know how annoying you are?"

"Aw, come on, Slippy!" It looked like Falco was having the time of his life. "Flying is my claim to fame! You think I'm gonna let this chance pass? I'm havin' a ball over here!"

"You little bastard…" the human's voice hissed. "This just makes you feel _so_ special, doesn't it?"

"Well now, looks like I pushed the right buttons!"

"Better watch it, Falco. Soon as I figure out how this thing works…"

"Heh…you'd like that, wouldn't you? Don't count on it; looks to me like the incredible human mind wasn't made for flying."

"……"

_I'm incomplete, after all. It's no surprise that there are a few things I can't learn._ He sighed. _I'm no Jason Bourne, but I'll figure this stuff out sooner or later. Just watch!_

"What's wrong? No heroic one-liners?"

"Screw it." He replied. For the first time, he pulled off a somersault, blindly firing several shots towards the rival Arwing. None of them hit, because of Falco's position between Lance's Arwing and the sun. Even if he had hit, they were shooting weak lasers, only good for training.

"_What was that?_" Falco taunted. "Is that all you've got?"

"Hey, you actually did a somersault!" Slippy cheered.

Krystal followed. "Great job!"

"……" His eye twitched again. Their support was little more than a series of left-handed compliments, and he could just sense Falco beaming right now.

_Oh God…just kill me now._

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

They were back on Corneria, going over the "scores" and stats from the brief lesson from just half an hour ago. More specifically, Fox was reviewing the report, with less than excited eyes. They had actually seen the sortie, excited to see how Lance's learning curve would help him dominate the other three.

Finally, Fox sighed and returned the report to the front page. "Nevermind…I don't need the report."

_Wonderful._

They all stood inside a hangar, with the entire team off to one side, several yards away from the lone 'student.'

"I…don't really know what to say. I mean…you're good with everything _else,_ right?"

"That's why he's a footsoldier, not an ace." Peppy nodded.

"You're too kind."

"Hahaha! Come on, how often are footsoldiers actually used nowadays?" Falco gloated. "He's gotta learn to fly sometime, and we've got _plenty_ of time for that!"

_You think I've forgotten that time on the Great Fox? When you first showed us you could actually speak? Oh-hoho…it's payback now, Callahan!_

Lance remained silent.

_That mother f…_

"Actually, I think I have a solution." Fox set down the clipboard. His four wingmates next to him turned to face him.

"What would that be?" inquired Lance.

"It seems to me that we haven't even directed you on the mechanics of Cornerian fighters. Not in detail, at least...You see…alot of times, they're set on what we call a "rail." That is, frequently readjust themselves according to the current flight path the pilot is trying to take. And there are a lot of weird mechanics that go into the Arwing outside of the normal standards, so it really would take more than one flying lesson. Or at least…"

"Well then, how did she learn in under a month?" He pointed to Krystal.

"Actually, I'd already been piloting for eight years after Andross wiped out Cerinia. Since that was a Venomian vessel, it should be no wonder I picked this skill up rather quickly."

"Likewise, you have _no_ aviation background at all." Peppy added.

"And I was _about_ to say…" Fox continued. "…that not only have we not informed you enough of the forces at hand, but you also might need a different flight instructor."

"Yeah? Like who?"

"The name's Fara Phoenix!" A lithe fennec fox offered her hand to the Urban Soldier.

"Lance Callahan." He responded, accepting the hand. She had a strong grip for such a diminutive person…

"Lance, this is Fara. She was my flight instructor back when I was still in the flight academy."

"I thought Peppy taught you?"

"He was the most influential, yes, but truth be told, it was Fara who started me off." He turned to Fara, crossing his arms. "Isn't that right, Fara?"

"True it is." She nodded. "Fox and me, we go way back together. Funny…I was just a year older than _Micky C_ here, but I was flying much younger than he was."

"Fox tells me you're quite the instructor."

"Does he now?"

"Yes. Yes he does."

"Well then, we'll fix you right up, won't we! Just as soon as we get you registered, that is."

"Hey…" Fox began. "What's the headmaster up to these days? I haven't been by for years."

"Oh, that old wart?" Fara had never been fond of the headmaster. "Eh…still talking loud, and taking credit. You know how it is."

"Yeah, naturally…" Fox scratched the side of his head.

"Hey, uh…does your other newcomer need lessons?"

"Our other…? Oh." Fox shook his head. "No, Krystal caught on pretty quickly."

"Hm…" She seemed a lot less animated now that the subject had come up.

Fox noticed this change in demeanor. "What is it?" Not far away, the rest of the team was converged, chattering away amongst themselves. The two foxes glanced over to the group, zeroing in on Krystal.

"It's nothing." She replied, cracking her knuckles. "Just thought I might offer up a little help is all."

"Hm…"

"Is she…a valuable asset?"

As she spoke, five jets screamed by in a V-formation, leaving five tails of purple light in their wake. Lance turned to watch, still half-listening to the conversation.

"Yeah. I guess so." At that moment, Krystal had come strolling up to them.

"Fox, is this the flight instructor you were telling us about?" She had a friendly demeanor, but Fara barely responded with a curt nod.

"?" Several moments of awkward silence passed.

_She's not hostile…but I sense some kind of envy._

Fox knew exactly what was on their minds, and Fara could see that this was going nowhere.

"Guess we'd better get your new trooper started, huh?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"First off, you gotta realize that no amount of athletic ability can force the Arwing into action. No matter how high you can jump or how fast you can run, a ship is a ship is a ship. You got me?"

"Yeah." The two of them were seated in their respective vessels

"Now you may have thought that the further you pull back on the stick, the higher you rise. Not so. Do you remember those videos we showed you earlier?"

"The ones shot from the cockpit itself?"

"That one."

"I'll remember it."

"Good. Now…do you also remember those blueprints we showed you earlier?"

"Yeah, they showed what was happening to the ship depending on how the pilot used the controls."

"Now with memory like yours, remembering all of that is a cinch. But now that you know how everything works, you gotta put everything together and figure out how your Arwing is going to respond to you."

"Yeah, it's cool."

"Good to hear it. Now here's what we're gonna do: See those rings up ahead?"

"Am I gonna fly through them or something?"

"Good boy! I'm gonna fly through, and you're gonna follow my lead. Now we've also got a spotter down on the ground who's gonna recap all the different maneuvers we went over earlier. When he does, you'll have to pull that off in order to hit all these rings."

"Makes sense."

"If you mess up, don't sweat it. This isn't something you can just push and push and learn it all of a sudden. It's not like Martial Arts or studying or whatever you do. You gotta trust your Arwing, you follow?"

"I'm pretty sure."

"Good. Nook? You ready?"

"Affirmative. Number 8, this is your spotter speaking. You are to follow my directions to follow Instructor Phoenix in front of you. Understood?"

"Affirmative."

"Great. Now here we go!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Back on the ground, the rest of the team was watching through the transparent walls of the flight academy. Up in the sky above, two fighter vessels soared through a series of rings and obstacles, playing a quick game of follow the leader.

"Looks like he's making progress." Fox observed. He displayed a huge, toothy smile, proud to have such a powerful member on their team.

"Yeah, look at him go!" Slippy hopped up and down on his feet. "He's doing much better than before."

"I'm glad." Krystal nodded. "He looked miserable back when we were directing him."

"Tch. He needed it. Good for building character."

"What's wrong, Falco? Afraid your prey is catching up to you?"

"Me? 'fraid? Sure thing, froggy. You see this face? I'm pissed because that guy's a pretentious moron who thinks he can just have the world on a silver pladder. Thinks by reading a book once he can be an expert on anything. Pisses me off!"

"Just sounds to me like someone's jealous."

"Bah!"

"You know…" Slippy prodded, sporting a mischievous grin, "until he came along, you were the one acting all high and mighty!"

"Can it, tadpole!"

"Bwa-hahahaha! Oh, this is rich!" Slippy squealed. "Falco! Feeling threatened by an ape!"

"Hey, Fox." While Falco and Slippy continued berating eachother, Krystal tapped their leader on the shoulder. "Does Instructor Phoenix…does she have some kind of problem with me? She seems nice enough…but I think she distrusts me."

"Did you sense that?"

"Yes. Well…I don't think she's a malicious person, though. But that's what bothers me! Why would she…?"

"Well, er…Krystal." Fox scratched his muzzle, attempting to hide his expression.

No use: she sensed some kind of guilt from him.

"You see…back when we first knew eachother, well…how to say this?"

Peppy interjected. "Before we say anything, you should realize that the two of them were young when they knew eachother."

"Yes?"

"And you know how young people can be sometimes. Especially considering Fox was a little angsty at the time."

"Fox? Angsty?"

"Yeah, yeah…I grew out of it." His ear twitched.

"Well…you see…" Peppy's tactful side took over as he began the story...

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"That was great! Good job, I'm proud of you." The two of them still drifted through the air, preparing to land momentarily.

"Excellent." Their spotter announced. "In a single lesson, you've nailed all the basics perfectly. Having seen that, I never would have believed the _terrible things_ they said about your first sortie!"

"Wait....what? What'd they say?"

"Er....nothing. It's just me."

"So what's next? What about tactics and mechanics and all that?"

"There aren't many more mechanical aspects you need to learn; you already know most of the bare essentials. As for tactics, we can show you some of that, but in all honesty it's probably best to learn from the elite, eh?"

Lance's eye twitched again. The prospect of flying alongside Falco again…

"Er…actually, we'll give you another lesson or two. Haha…" She remarked as she landed inside the hangar.

Lance followed shortly behind.

"Hey, don't turn off your comlink just yet."

"Hm?" Lance noticed the others approaching from the other side of the hangar, still relatively far away.

"Sure."

"But tune out Nook, I don't want him hearing either."

"Ooh…sounds loverly!" The spotter remarked.

When he was out of the picture, she began: "Hey, look, I feel really stupid asking this…but about Krystal…"

_So that's what this is all about._ Lance remembered the awkward looks she and Krystal exchanged earlier.

"Uh, you know…what does he think about her?"

"I take it you and Fox are old exes?"

"!!" He couldn't see her, but he could imagine she must have been hiding her face right about now.

"Yes! AIEEE!"

"???"  
He instinctively lifted his fists when a loud shout of excitement split through his ears. Judging by her reactions, he determined it must be a touchy subject.  
"Lively one, aren't you?"

"Sorry, sorry!" It sounded like she was smiling. Must feel strange right about now…  
"It's just that…you know, we were young and infatuated, you know?"

"So you still like him, then?"

"Kinda…NO! Not really, it's kinda hard to explain."

"You want to try anyway?"

"We were never really serious, I guess. You know? I mean…never got farther…er, never got _much_ further than the whole let's-hold-hands thing, you know? We separated a long time ago, but it's just weird seeing him with someone else. Just…eerie."

"Hm…"

"What are you thinking right now?"

"I'm thinking you still like the guy, but might not know it."

"AIEEE!"

"JESUS, will you stop that??"

"Sorry! Sorry, it's just that this is so weird, I'm kinda nervous, you know?"

"You know, back home I used to have a friend just like you."

"What was her name?"

"Skye." Another member of Lucky 7. "See, she never really had that much romantic success. Truth be told, most people back home don't build any lasting relationships till later on in life, but she actually let it get to her."

"Wait a minute, I'm not really…"

"Alright, maybe that's not the best comparison, but just hear me out. Anyway…she once met up with an old ex of hers. Just like Fox, he'd found someone else. He and Skye kept butting heads for a long time after that, until she just gave up."

"She just…'gave up'?"

"Well...I guess that's not the best word choice. Instead, she found someone who had been there all along; one of her closest friends who had supported her through everything."

"……"

"Just something to think about. Having heard from her, I know what you're feeling right about now. I think…"

"It's not like I'm still stuck on Fox, though! It's been nearly a decade."

"Okay, but do you get what I'm trying to say here?"

"Y-yeah."

"Alright. I'm hopping out now. Thanks again, instructor."

"Not a problem!" Looked like she was back to her usual self. "Come back soon! We've still got a lot to cover, what with the tactics you mentioned earlier."

"I'll be sure to do just that." He nodded. The cockpits opened up, and both of them landed on the ground below. The rest of the team was now fairly close.

"Hey, Lance, you much of a romantic?"

Lance grinned and crossed his arms. "Not in the least."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Part 2: The Tutor

-------

"Don't think that just because you're learning how to fly, you're done socializing to Cornerian standards."

Night was near, and a group composed of Fox, Slippy and Lance had made their way on foot from an outlet in the heart of Corneria's capital city.

"But what else could I have to learn? It's not like there's anything else I absolutely need to know, right?"

"Schooling."

"Schooling?"

"That's right." Fox nodded. "It's a legal imperative that you get some degree of Cornerian education. We'll first evaluate what you already know, and move on from there."

"Krystal's been getting on and off tutoring since she joined us." Added Slippy. "Cerinians had a different understanding of the world around them, and although they see it in more of a 'magical' perspective, it at least ties in with the science she's been learning."

"Okay. So where does that leave me?"

"It depends. Since humans are in between Corneria and Cerinia in terms of flat-out scientific advancement, you may already be farther ahead than she is. Who knows?"

They continued walking down an abandoned street, illuminated by rows upon rows of streetlights. The walkway looked virtually untouched, with perfectly trimmed green grass on either side, met the Great Fox docked at the end of the half-mile long road.

"The person we're going to introduce you to isn't actually from here. She's a student of astrophysics at a more prestigious school on Fichina."

"A student?" Lance raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Are you serious? Why not just take me there?"

"Well, we figured while you were taking lessons from Fara, it'd be less complicated to bring her here." Explained the vulpine. "She was more than happy to, since she's already teaching Krystal. You two are in the same situation, after all."

"She's teaching Krystal? Is she qualified?"

"Remember what Pepper said: it's best to integrate with the help of a small, tightly knit group of contacts." Fox pointed out.

"I dunno about that, Fox…"

"She and Krystal have grown really close in the time they've spent together." Slippy grinned. "I think that's the best way to go, don't you?"

"What about her duties on Fichina?"

"I guess since she's making history by teaching two aliens, the university actually funded her trip."

"Who is this, anyway?"

"Mm, that happens to be the reason Peppy is meeting us there."

"They related or something?"

"She's his daughter."

"Oh." Lance snorted.

"What?"

"It all makes sense now…that must be why he was so reluctant to let us meet."

"To make matters worse…" Slippy sighed, "she brought…well, you'll figure it out soon enough."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Pep!" The doors slid open with a hiss, Fox stepped through the doorway with Slippy close behind. "Peppy! We're back!"

"Hm? So soon?"

"Yeah, we were all just taking a walk." Slippy shrugged. "Hwah…I need to get out more. I didn't realize how being cooped up so long can tighten you up like that!"

"We checked by the old mansion earlier." Fox let out as he plopped down on a swivel chair just several feet away. The three of them sat in a den of sorts within the heart of the Great Fox. Even though the were docked on their homeworld, visible in the hologram in the center of the room, the Great Fox was still technically their home.  
"You remember the one."

"Oh, well that's nice." Peppy turned back around to continue attending…to a little girl? She hid behind the elderly hare, one large bunny ear flopping out from her spot.

"What the…?" Fox gawked at the rabbit child. "Peppy! What in the name of…"

"Oh, didn't I tell you? This is Lucy's niece, my granddaughter, Mel." He bounced the wide-eyed tyke up and down on his knee. "Say hi, Mallory!"

The child only continued staring curiously, evoking a warm chuckle from her grandfather.

"But…when did this happen?" Slippy seemed less surprised than Fox, but still interested. He kneeled down on a knee to smile and see eye to eye with the toddler.

Peppy sighed. "I didn't know about it either. Soon as _you_ offered Lucy the job…against my warnings, I might add…" he frowned, remembering a heated debate prior to today's events, "…she accepted immediately and said she would travel here as soon as possible. I had no idea she was going to bring little Mallory here…"

"I didn't even know you _had_ any other family." Fox glanced down at Slippy, who was busy making funny faces at a giggling Mel.

"She must have thought it would be a great oppurtunity to show her niece the majesty of her homeworld." Peppy continued. "She's growing up on Fichina, you know…never even got to see Corneria until just the other day."

"Aw…well this is a great oppurtunity then!" Slippy glanced up momentarily.

"I suppose so." Peppy set Mel down on the ground, allowing her to quickly take refuge behind him again. "But now I'll have to figure out a way to get her back home by the time Fara is finished with Lance."

Fox and Slippy exchanged quick glances, and the frog shrugged.

"What do you mean? Lucy _and_ Fara are going to be instructing him for the next few weeks."

"What?" The hare frowned. "I thought you weren't going to bring him back for another day or two!"

"Why would we?"

"I was told he was going to stay at the academy while he learns to pilot!"

"No way! That's inefficient!" Fox reasoned. "This way, he'll be done with his overall education more quickly than he would be anyway. Besides, Krystal's still learning from Lucy, so this could be a good oppurtunity."

"But what about little Mallfory?" He pointed to his granddaughter, climbing over a chair, her imaginary mountain. She turned her head upon hearing her name. "I don't want them in the same room together! Haven't I already gone over this before?"

"Peppy, Lance may be a little hard-up, but he's not going to bite a little kid's head off."

"That's not the point!" Peppy argued. "I see this is a useless arguement! When you have children one day, you'll understand."

"Didn't you already agree that you misjudged him to begin with?"

"It's not that I hate the man, it's that I don't want my granddaughter exposed to that kind of person." He turned to Mel, lifting the tiny bunny off of the table. "Righteous or not, he's still a killer."

He watched Mel run behind a chair and crawl under it, hiding her face as if pretending to become invisible.

_Hum…sweet youth._ The elder smiled weakly.

At that moment, the doors hissed again, and two sets of rhythmic footsteps clicked into the room. One of them set a pair of harsh green eyes on Peppy; he could see they were talking about him. The person next to him was completely oblivious, a rabbit of cheerful demeanor and small stature: Lucy Hare.

"…and the dean said that I'd passed with the highest grades in my class! Said I was near smart enough to teach the professor himself. Tee-hee~"

Lance looked doubtful. "Sooo…how long have you been teaching Krystal, again?"

"Mm…a few months. Maybe four, total. Somewhere around there." She stopped speaking when she spotted the others, hopping over to each of them. "Dad! Fox! Slippy!"

"Wait…Lucy--oof!" The three of them were somehow drawn in and squeezed to death in a vice-grip hug.

"Ooooh!" She cooed, ignorant to their frantic struggles against her embrace. "I'm back, you guys!"

"Can't…breathe…!" Slippy miraculously uttered these words, now turning blue.

"Hey, leggo…!" Fox began clawing upwards.

She finally released them, as three mouths gasped all at once. "Where's Mal'?"

"Auntie Lucy!"

"There you are!" The child came scampering towards the bunny, giggling at the three's misfortune. "Did you miss me?"

"Grampa looks funny!"

"Oh, you think that now…" Peppy managed to shift himself back into his chair, and the other two relocated far from the deadly tutor.

"Haha…isn't she cute?" She patted her niece on the head, glancing towards the human. "This is my niece, Mal!" Lucy kneeled down, shaking the tyke's hand in a waving motion.

"Auntie, why does that man look so funny?" the child failed an attempt to whisper, speaking audibly as children so often do. "He looks like a monkey but he's bald."

Slippy and Fox exchanged nervous glances. They were put off, but Peppy seemed more affected, staring at the other two and then at Lance.  
_Uh-oh…I wonder if he hates children?_

_What is he going to say to that?_

_Oh, I knew this was a bad idea!_

Lance watched Mel in surprise for several seconds. What _do_ you say to something like that? She noticed his surprise, and decided to walk up and ask him directly.

"Why don't you have a tail?"

Fox smacked his forehead.

But Lance just chuckled. The statement was so random he couldn't really come up with any other response.  
Kids are funny.

He lowered himself to one knee. "It got in the way, so I threw it away." He smiled warmly, glancing up to Lucy quickly.

She had no idea that he garnered a violent reputation within their inner circle. At the moment, no one would have guessed who he really was.

"Woooow! You can do that?"

"Oh yeah. Just like this." He held up his hands, using his thumb as an example. He made the illusion that he was removing his thumb…a classic human trick.

_Well....at least this is a relief! Is this the same Lance we know?_

"Eeyah! Auntie! Look at that!" She hopped up and down in excitement, jabbing a finger in the human's direction.

Lucy laughed out loud. "That's a neat little trick! Can you show me that?"

"That's my little secret." He raised a mischievous eyebrow. Right now, the kid was running circles around him, inspecting him from all angles.

"She's usually really shy around strangers, you know." Lucy flipped her hair. "You must be good with kids!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Antimatter, in particle physics and quantum chemistry, is the extension of the concept of the antiparticle to matter, where antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way normal matter is composed of particles. For example, an antielectron, or 'positron,' an electron with a positive charge…"

"Wouldn't that make it a proton?"

"No, that's not the same. Protons and positrons both have a positive charge, but one is antimatter, the other is standard mass."

"Okay, so what's the difference?"

"That's another lesson. Just pay attention for now." She nodded patiently and returned to the board.

Natural sunlight poured into the room, circular, with windows covering every square inch of the walls. At the moment, two lone 'students' were seated in this room, placed randomly among rows. The two of them, the only known Cerinian and Human, faced towards the center of the room, whereupon stood Lucy Hare on a raised platform, tapping an enlarged, floating screen.

"…observable universe appears to be almost entirely matter, whereas other places are almost entirely antimatter instead, and what might is possible when antimatter can be harnessed or produced…"

_This is absurd. All I'm doing is writing notes on what to look up. She just keeps defining all these terms with more terms I have to look up, all of which are defined by more terms yet. Quarks? Pions? Gimme soemthing I can use…_

"…the standard model shows that every particle possesses an antiparticle counterpart…"

_Wonder how Krystal's doing._ He glanced up to Lucy and then over to Krystal, busy reading as Lucy lectured.  
_Guess she doesn't mind the lack of organization._

"…Antiparticles are created everywhere in the universe where high-energy particle collisions take place. High-energy cosmic rays impacting Corneria's atmosphere (or any other matter in the solar system) produce minute quantities of antimatter in the resulting particle jets, which are immediately annihilated by contact with nearby matter…"

_At least I won't have to drop out of college again._ He scowled at the thought. _Not like duties are going to interfere with education this time around._

A heavy sigh escaped into the air. _They could have at least found a qualified instructor, right? Whatever. I'll trudge through this for now._

"…for all intents and purposes, could be considered lost."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Part 3: Sweet Dreams

-------

"Marcus! Hey, Marcus!" A middle aged vulpine shouted across an expansive green meadow, with whispering winds carrying his voice far and wide. Through wandering clouds, sunlight shattered into beams and formed shadows onto the ground below.

In the distance, a slim figure and a diminutive juvenille appeared, waving at the man who searched for them.

"We're here!" They yelled.

He smiled, fiddling with the brims of his sunglasses. The wind blew through his fur, twisting and dancing like the grass beneath his feet.

He stood there patiently as the two approached, and soon he was striding towards them as well. Before him stood a beautiful blue vixen, and holding her hand stumbled along a young male fox of a lighter blue hue.

"It's okay, he was just out exploring." The mother gazed down to the pup.

"Again? There isn't much to see out here."

"Daddy! Daddy!" Young Marcus, the tiny blue fox, held up his hands to his father. Inside his paws sat a butterfly, lightly flexing its wings.

"Look what I found! Isn't it pretty?"

His parents laughed pleasantly. Their eyes met, but soon diverted when they spotted the butterfly resting on tip of the toddler's muzzle. His tantalized eyes were crossed, focusing on the gentle insect.

"Now now, Marcus, I think your new playmate belongs right where you found him!" a blue finger reached the insect, allowing it to take hold as the mother held it up.

"Aw…but Moooom!"

"No 'buts,' Marcus." She nodded, examining the butterfly. "Now say goodbye to your friend."

_What...what is this?_

"Bye bye…" he waved nonchalantly at the relaxed creature, before it departed to the sky, spiralling higher and higher before moving downwind and disappearing from sight.

"Hurry on inside, Marcus, Uncle Bill and friends are here to see you." The mother urged her child ahead, rushing him towards the snug little home in the distance.

_Dad…I wish you could see this._

"Grampa, too?" The child moaned longingly.

"_Especially_ grampa." Fox nodded.

The three of them, connected through clasped hands, strolled through the swaying grass, marching on towards a welcoming horizon where several friendly figures stood staring out at them. A stout frog, a lean bluebird, a young, wise hare, a coy looking hound, a wolf whose eyes squinted in delight, and finally an elderly red fox with large, reflective sunglasses. More were emerging from the front door.

"Marcus…you grow bigger all the time!" Exclaimed the final guest.

"Grampa!"

_Everything is perfect._

The green fields and blue skies soon dissolved like a breath into the starlight. Foggy images of metallic panels and a gloomy room came to the dreamer. The scene on the lid of the sleeper's eye washed away almost as quickly as it was painted.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Only a dream…" Fox moaned, putting a hand to his head.

"Stupid…stupid stupid." He cursed himself, forcing his feet to touch the ground and lift his reluctant body out of bed.

"Krystal…and Marcus…?" He felt too ashamed to cherish the dream. But when it began to fade, he tried to recreate the images and events.

"…my family?"

Could this be a part of Rubio's fortune? He turned his head, gazing out the window and towards the cliff where the Esper's swords lay as a tribute to the departed Cerinians.

"Everything was perfect…"

_But she won't even talk to me now…_

He soon found that he couldn't return to the dream world, and decided to stay awake, writing his visions in a small notebook resting on a desk in the next room over.

Until the sun rose a couple hours later, he was still scrawling notes down on the paper, madly chronicling the events.

"Fox? Why so early?"

The vulpine leaped in shock, whipping his head around to face the intruder.

"Peppy! Good heavens, don't scare me like that."

"Sorry. I didn't think even you would be up this early."

"Do you usually get up around this time?"

"Usually." The hare tilted his head to get a better look at Fox's activities. "What are you writing? We don't have any reports to file…none that I know of, at least."

"Oh…this is nothing. Just a dream I had."

"Oh?" Peppy's ears perked up in interest. "This is unusual!"

Fox turned away, instinctively hiding his face. "It's nothing, really. Just stupid stuff."

"That usually means you're just guilty." Peppy nodded. "You want to tell me what it is?"

"Well…" Fox looked down at the notes, taking a moment to fold them over. "It's nothing special. Just…" He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head as Peppy's curious eyes bored through him. "Just dreamed I had a family."

"Oh ho! Is that right?" Peppy laughed out loud. "Quite often, dreams tell us all kinds of things: past, present, or future. Things we want or things we fear, it can be anything, but it's always something you should pay attention to."

Fox turned his gaze to the ground. "You were there, too. But you were much younger. I also saw Wolf…"

Peppy didn't change his demeanor. "What was he doing?"

"Nothing. He was…he was one of us." Fox sighed heavily. He recreated the image, seeing a smiling Wolf with both eyes intact, comparing him to the cold machine he had become in reality.

"Just like I remembered him."

"…" The hare watched Fox put away the notes. McCloud didn't need any more interrogation right now.

"Just think about it, Fox. It could be a message."

"Yeah, I know…" the vulpine envisioned Krystal sitting next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I just gotta sort everything out. I don't really know where to go from here."

"You'll figure it out."

"Yeah." _First I gotta find out how to address the situation. If she won't talk to me…maybe the person who's closest to her will._

Fox crossed his arms after sticking the papers in his vest pocket, lounging in his chair. Contemplative, he tried to cast aside the thoughts he felt were petty and unrealistic.

_Hey…wait a minute…_

"Hey, where'd Falco run off to, anyway?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Part 4: 20 Questions

-------

"So? How does it feel?" The blue vixen strode into view, pleased with the simplicity of the day. Nothing out of the ordinary…there were people walking here and there flocking to the next shop or station, glancing at their watches, skipping along.

The diversity was endless, and yet it felt so much like home.

"Hm? How does what feel?" Now dressed in civilian attire, the Urban Soldier strolled along, hands in pockets. The two of them entered a junction in the streets, clear of any roads. The only public vehicles were part of the trams and the railways rooted throughout the city. "For the past week you haven't really spoken much."

"Your first real day as a Cornerian!" She took a quick glance behind him, where Fox and Slippy lagged behind. "We've been so busy with everything that we haven't really had any free time."

"Feels…nice." He looked around with a faint smile. "I only really got the chance to explore once." _And even then we got caught up in conflict._  
Visions of Ursa and Rubio came to mind.

"Well now we've got plenty of time to show you around!" Krystal clasped her hands together. "Fox! Slippy! Hurry up!"

"She sure has bounced back quickly, hasn't she?" from several yards back, Fox waved back sheepishly.

"Hasn't she? It's great seeing her like this, especially after the incident with the Seers."

"Hey, where are we headed, anyway?"

"Who cares? Let's just go wherever. I'm just glad we can walk around under a _real_ sky again. Staying in a cabin for weeks at a time can get a guy wound up."

Slippy happily stretched out his arms, but halted when he noticed Fox's grim change in expression. "What's eating you?"

"She probably hates me now, though."

"What? Why?"

"How would I know?" He threw his hands up. "Some baloney about Fara and me. Why should she be? We haven't even seen eachother for ages!"

"Hey, uh, you okay?" ten yards ahead, a more serious conversation unfolded...silent blue and blackheart.

"Why do you ask?"

"I dunno…you seem a little…on edge."

"No…I'm fine."

Lance glanced over his shoulder, where Fox and Slippy tailed several yards behind. "Did something happen between you and Fox?"

"Lance, what would make you say…"

"Oh, come on now. I'm no psychic, but I'm not blind."

"Mm…" She nearly looked over her shoulder, but timidly shot back forward. "It's just that…he and Fara…"

"Oh. I heard about that."

"He told you, too??"

"Fara did, actually. Says they never really got anywhere." He scratched his chin.  
"But that was ages ago. Why does it bother you now?"

"Why wouldn't it?" She stared incredulously.

"They never shared too deep a connection, never had any serious commitments."

_If she once felt the same way about that one seer that Fox felt towards Fara…why is this even an issue?_ Bringing up the subject was out of the question. He predicted it would only cause problems.

"But if they didn't feel that connection, why would they be together in the first place?"

"Is that what Cerinians believe?"

"Yes! I thought that was common sense!"

"……" Right now, it seemed Fox was even aware of what was being said, even though he wasn't even within range. Lance turned to look at him and his amphibious comrade, the latter of whom looked far more cheerful.

"Okay, lemme tell you why this is. It didn't occur to me before, but it looks like it holds true to Cornerian and developed Human societies."

"Tell me. So why is this the way it is?"

"Uh…it seems to me…" evidently, Cerinians were more directed towards courting than dating. From what little Lance had actually gathered, Cerinians...being the more 'tribal' society, in many senses, had stricter romantic limits.  
"Back home, humans freely formed bonds and relationships to 'experiment,' so to speak, to try and find that one special person. They might go through several people in a matter of months."

Her jaw opened in surprise.

"…But there were always those people who found someone and stayed with them." He shrugged. "The more industrialized societies tended more towards this "liberated" romantic view. Looks like Fara and Fox formed the same informal relationship."

"But…they would eventually stick with one mate, right?" She pleaded.

"Oh, of course. As soon as they decided on their spouse, _that_ was the defining commitment." He shrugged mildly. "But even then…people were permitted to separate. It's a weird thing."

"That's…that's _unheard of!_"

"I don't know what to tell you."

"I just…" She looked as though a childhood dream had just been crushed. "How can that be? It seems so _detached!_"

"……Well, sorry. I was never really into this whole thing anyway. It's not as bad as I make it sound. I mean…after marriage, separation was kinda looked down on. I mean…"

He tried to explain, but she was still unconvinced.

"Back home, we never would have dreamed of that! We were allowed to find someone we liked, but never in such a...a..._promiscuous_ manner!" She paced her walk faster, almost trying to outrun the other three.

"Wait a minute…"

"To be abandoned by a lover…is a fate worse than death! I can't see how you can talk so casually about something so serious!"

"It's just that people committed later on. That's the only difference: it's courting versus dating." _Well a__t the very least, she's not a whore._

"Slippy?" Fox noticed Krystal's change in pace, and considered going after her. "What are they saying?"

"Huh? How should I know?"

"Forget it…hang on." Fox took off, catching up to the two of them.

"What did you say to her?" He demanded, pointing to Lance.

"Hey hey hey! I had to stick up for you, you ingrate!"

Fox pushed past him. "Krystal, wait!"

"Fox? What is it?" True, the whole thing bothered her, but she was mature enough to let it go or put it aside for the moment.

"Look, I know how everything seems right now, but…"

"Excuse me sirs, and miss…might I have a moment o' yer time?" The potential argument was abruptly interrupted by a rather bold-looking crocodilian man. Behind him stood a ravenesque camerawoman.

"Hey, I know you!" Slippy caught up to the group. "You're Gavin Mansour, aren't you?"

"Heh…that's right, kiddies! The one and only."

The raven pointed the lens at the group of four. "Hey, where are the others?"

"They're off sodomizing," Lance quipped. Sarcastic, blunt or low-class, dry humor remarks usually indicated his apathy. "Now if you'll excuse us, we're a little bus…"

"He's a pretty popular journalist! Goes around and interviews all kinds of people!" Slippy explained, blatantly interrupting the human, who had crossed his arms in distaste. Turning back to the croc, Slippy puffed up his chest in pride. "Probably wants to interview Star Fox to further his career!"

"Actually…" the reptile began, moving towards the group. He shoved past Fox and wedged himself between Lance and Krystal, wrapping an arm around both persons' shoulders. "Star Fox is old news right now. The big story is your two little lost aliens here."

Slippy's face fell. "What?? Hey! We're the famous war heroes! Hey, are you even listening? Hey? HEY!"

'Gavin' continued undeterred. "See, Star Fox has been done to death over the past eight years or so. Still is, as a matter of fact. But now that we've got new faces on the scene, we want to interview you guys. What do you think?"

"An interview?" Lance raised an eyebrow, leery of the situation.

"Yes!" Krystal lifted her head under the weight of the heavy croc. "They ask a number of questions, including your name and where you're from, and then they release it to the public for the sake of…"

"Well I know what an interview is, but why…"

"Hey, now, I'm the one asking the questions!" Mansour released the two of them as a camera shoved itself into their space. "Let's be off now! There's not a moment to lose!" It wasn't long before he was manhandling them again, pulling them away from puzzled Fox and Slippy.

"Wait a minute, I never agreed to anything!" Lance yelled.

"Nonsense, it'll be fun!" Krystal reassured.

"……do we follow them?" Fox and Slippy exchanged quizzical looks as the others disappeared.

"This is lame." Slippy pouted. "We're the heroes! We should be interviewed as a group!"

"Heheh...we've gotten enough limelight." He had nearly come out to directly address Krystal on their relationship.  
Naturally, it wouldn't be any time soon that he would find himself confident enough to revisit the situation...

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

**Gavin:** Ladies and gents, this is none other than the luscsious Gavin Mansour, bringing you the first interview featuring the lovely Krystal Burameno and the mysterious Lance Callahan!

**Lance:** "Burameno?"

**Krystal: **Didn't you know? For documentation, the Cornerian government had to assign me a last name. But I don't _really_ have one, you know. Cerinians never did.

**Lance: **Ah.

**Gavin: **Sounds about right. Anyway…this is none other than the Gavinator himself, bringing you the full story on the first aliens in the Lylat system, fully integrated and adopted into the Cornerian nation! So for the sake of academic curiosity, I've got with me the famed "Silent Blue" and "Cosmic Castaway!"  
Alright, so first off: for the sake of formalities, what are your names and where are you from?

**Krystal: **My name is Krystal, from Cerinia.

**Lance: **What's the point? They KNOW who we are.

**Gavin:** Aw, now don't be such a spoilsport, sport! We're getting every line of this thing--better make it count!

**Lance: **Fine. Lance Callahan, Human. Homeworld, Earth.

**Gavin: **Krystal, we know you've been interviewed several times before, so this question's for Lance. Mr. Callahan? How does it feel to know that you're famous?

**Lance: **Eerie.

*long pause*

**Gavin: **Ooooookay. Can you elaborate, please? A-hyuh hyuh!

**Lance: **…I actually feel more exposed than anything else. Feel like I can't really do much _without the media breathing down my neck, Gavin._ It's even weirder to know it's just because I'm human.

**Gavin: **This one's for both of you! What's your impression of Lylat so far?

**Krystal:** Well, like I said last time…I love the people here. Unlike home, I don't feel inclined to act a certain way or be a certain someone. Cornerians are so accepting…so free and well to do! And I don't say that enviously, I love that about this place. It's so much…it's so noble.

**Gavin:** Haha! I'm sure I speak for the rest of the world when I say that this pleases me. Lance? What about you?

**Lance: **Well…the people here are really open minded. It's…amazing, to say the least. That's the main thing. The technology's pretty incredible…humans only began touching on space travel, but you guys have no problem with it. I guess it's also uplifting to see an entire society thrive like this one. There's no other way but up, right?

**Gavin:** (grins and nods) Anything else you'd like to add to that?

**Lance:** Also…everything seems so huge, since you guys have colonized pretty much your entire system and more. The sheer size is overwhelming.  
I think I've about summarized it. It's just too much to put into words, though.

**Gavin: **If you don't mind us asking, what exactly brought you to Lylat in the first place?

**Krystal: **(surprised)…I'm not really sure I want to say…

**Lance: **Long story short…aside from my homeworld pretty much getting blanketed in an eternally desolate black cloud of doom and despair, I found an escape pod.

**Gavin: **Oh. My deepest apologies…er, is it very lonely?

**Lance: **No, it's _great_ being the only furless ape in an all-fur population of about 10 billion, years away from a dead planet that used to be home.

**Krystal: **It can be sometimes…but the friends around us help us to cope.

**Gavin: **…oh, I'm sorry. I just thought it would help to let it out, right?

**Krystal: **Let's just move on.

**Gavin: **Okay…so we know that team Starfox was your first contact with Cornerians, but what made you decide to join the team?

**Lance: **I think you just answered your own question.

**Krystal: **Well, I owe my life to the one who saved me. I also thought they could help me out with a predicament of mine…which they did.  
But for now, I've decided to stay because I'll be better able to help the rest of this wonderful system through Starfox's influence.

**Lance: **I'm going with that last reason. But it's a different ballgame; before coming here, I was a vigilante. I was the third party…the scapegoat who could do what the officials couldn't get away with. Now, though…like she said, I can still do a lot, but I'll have to plan it out differently.

**Gavin: **Oooooh! A vigilante, you say? DO tell...

**Lance: **There's nothing to tell.

**Gavin:** Come on! For the camera...what was your Modus Operandi?

**Lance: **Whatever works.

**Gavin: **Be more specific?

**Lance: **Keep a low profile. Quick and precise, but powerful. Gather information, infiltrate, execute, live off the spoils, and repeat.  
The more you infiltrate and the more information you gather, you can use new connections and targets to get ahead and ultimately...make more of a difference.

**Gavin: **I bet if another we found another alien, it'd join the team as well! (laughs)

**Lance: **Oh God, let's hope not.

**Gavin: **Krystal! Refresh us: What did you do before coming here? We understand that you recently regained full memory during recent, yet undisclosed events.

**Krystal: **....really, I basically wandered in an aircraft we've recently determined to be Venomian. Before that, I was apparently destined to be one of the planet's sole psychics.

**Gavin: **Sounds prestigious! This basically makes you a princess, doesn't it?

**Krystal: **I wouldn't go THAT far.

**Gavin: **What would you have done under that title?

**Krystal: **We would have operated with the same function and influence as we do in Star Fox, albeit less aggressive in my case.

**Gavin: **What's it like being a soldier? The pressure? The hardships? The glory?

**Lance: **It comes naturally. Back home it sucked, but we do it anyway. It was my "function." I hated constantly doing the dirty work and having to cover my tracks afterward, but the results were always worth it. Here, though, it's only a chore. As for the glory, I just don't see it.

**Gavin: **You don't see it? What do you mean?

**Lance: **It's like when parents look at their little baby sucking his thumb or learning his first words. They look at it and make such a big deal out of it, but it's really nothing special. They all do it at one point.  
I feel like I'm just sucking my thumb here and everyone worships me for it.

**Gavin: **Krystal? What about you?

**Krystal: **I guess it's nice that everyone knows my name. But aside from that, I think this is just a job someone has to do. It's overly romanticized.

**Gavin: **Hm…it kinda seems like Mr. Callahan here has changed all your minds about warfare.

**Lance: **When I saw Fox and Falco competing to see who could land the most kills, I was apalled. Think about those words for a moment: "competing over kills." They were sitting in cockpits, staring at the backside of more ships like theirs. Not once did they realize that everytime they shot down another ship, they were taking a sentient life. They couldn't see their faces or hear their screams, so it never occurred to them that they were shooting down anything but a lifeless machine.

**Gavin: **I guess that never really occurred to most of us.

**Lance: **Human pilots were just like yours in that regard.  
Times change with technology.

**Gavin: **Next question: Lance, what is it like being a human soldier? What differences have you found between this and the human world?

**Lance: **Humans may have airplanes and ships and all that, but since we hadn't mastered the final frontier, we still fight onfoot just as much…if not more. People still see a lot of nasty stuff, still use kinetic weapons, and the irony of it all is that we're all fighting eachother.

**Gavin: **Really?

**Lance: **Somewhere towards the beginning of human life, the people split up and formed separate nations, kinda like factions, you know? Just like Venom tried to do, but with hundreds of nations, all separated.

**Gavin:** Wow.

**Lance: **That's one of the things I admire about you Cornerians. You're all unified.

**Gavin: **Why didn't humans unify?

**Lance: **War of ideals. Wants over needs. Imbalance of power. Lack of logic, lack of insight. Not everyone shared my vision.

**Gavin: **Easier said than done, then…anyway, next question. Krystal, any hope for Cornerians who want to gain psionic abilities?

**Krystal: **Oh yes! Psychic abilities are not exclusive to any one race, I believe. Cerinians taught that all individuals can learn, even thoughs ome may be born with more aptitude than others, and if that is taken to a broader scale, Cornerians, Saurians and Humans should learn, too. We all have the same minds, anyway. But…there is one thing.

**Gavin: **What might that be?

**Krystal: **While I have no qualms against teaching such things, I left home too early to complete my education, and I don't know all the necessary knowledge about psionics.

**Gavin: **Aw…

**Krystal: **I know…(laughs)

**Gavin:** Hey, are Cerinians a very spiritual race?

**Krystal: **It never really occurred to me until the Cornerians pointed it out. It's not so much that we're spiritual, it just feels like Corneria has just separated itself from the divine.  
Cerinians believed that all spirits were connected through the universe. As a matter of fact, that's all the universe really is: a giant, collective consciousness.

**Gavin: **That's pretty neat! Does this tie into stuff like telekinesis?

**Krystal: **It would make sense…but being a fledgling esper, I'm not really sure.

**Gavin: **Lance, are all humans like you?

**Lance: **"Like me," what does that mean? In terms of…?

**Gavin: **You know…can they all learn as quickly as you can? What about capabilities, personality, and all that?

**Lance: **Oh. Yes they can.  
But, just to get it out there......because I thought THIS was what you were asking: in terms of personality, they looked down on my ways like you did. I mean, warfare isn't as civil as…God, that's an inappropriate word…not as civil as yours…but…it's hard to explain. Again, refer to the thesis.

**Gavin: **We'll look forward to it. Moving on, you told us humans are a bit divided. What is your explanation to this?

**Lance:** Main reason: humans don't share the same diversity Cornerians have. It would be like you consisting of all dogs, or all foxes, or all birds. All Earthlings are human, so there's this innate need to try and set oneself apart from the rest. You kinda get it?

**Gavin: **Sort of. Anyway…oh, that's right! One final question: Is it true there could be a blooming romance within the team?

**Lance: **Maybe. (grin) They're both unwilling to admit it, though.

**Gavin: **Oh-ho!

**Krystal: **Oh, you Iwould/I say that! (irritable) What an indecent accusation!

**Lance: **You seem defensive.

**Krystal: **We should keep this under wraps! This isn't something to--

**Lance:** Well, since neither of you are straightening up, I guess I gotta shove both of you into it.

**Gavin: **I would imagine that, as loners, you two are particularly lonely. We'd all thought it was you two! What about it?

**Lance: **(uttering obscenities)

**Krystal: **What? Why I never…! Of all the ridiculous things to say on a public program…

**Gavin: **Whoa! Well, folks, that's all the time we have for today! See us next time week with our exclusive interview with a former Venomian soldier!

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The ascending moon rippled on the surface of the lake, sifting and churning, emanating a pale light into the clear evening sky. The world below could not hide from the radiance; the city lay resting, its lights and hustle and bustle a far cry from the natural world. Shadows which had once hidden scattered in the day danced freely under the heavens, while the rest of the city remained outlined in the celestial body's silver glow. Tonight was a crescent moon, piercing the cloudless sky in a sea of flickering stars, and beyond that streaked the dust and haze of the galaxy, saturated in red and violet. Space was vast and merciless, deep and endless yet full of mystery. A set of intense yet curious eyes gazed up into the final frontier; it was a wonder that he had once stared up at the same sky from another place, another time out in that same sky.

He extended a hand to the celestial world, wondering if somewhere among the aether, someone reached for him. But the furless hand dropped, and the human marched on down the lakeside path.

"Oh, Lance! Homesick already? Glad you could show." Fox appeared out of nowhere in a trenchcoat, shaking hands with Callahan. "You know why I called you here?"

"Are you coming out of the closet?"

"Uh…no?" The joke left the vulpine unamused.

"Relax, relax, I'm just joking."

"Look, it may seem like a really stupid question…" Fox began, crossing his arms, "But I can assure you that the matter at hand is more significant than is immediately obvious."

"Okay, I'll take your word for it."

Fox stood there, staring at the bridge on the lake, almost as if he were afraid to make eye contact.  
_I know it's not appropriate right now…but I gotta know!_

"Are you and..."

"No. No we aren't." Lance kicked a nearby stone into the lake. He shouldn't have been surprised, considering the circumstances. "Fox! Of all the ridiculous notions…this is because of that stupid ass interview, isn't it?"

"Now now, it's not like I'm accusing you or anything."

"But we're not…"

"She's been avoiding me a lot lately and I just noticed you two have been kind of…cozy. You know?"

"_Cozy??_"

"Aren't you two really close?"

"…well, yeah! Misery loves company, right?" he shook his head.  
_I can't even believe what I'm hearing…or saying, for that matter.  
_"Certain things…I can't tell anyone else about. We understand each other better than anyone here!"

_When we're together, Fox, it actually feels like I'm not alone. It has nothing to do with what you're thinking._

"And I'm just saying that it's easy to understand how you two can come along so nicely." Fox held up his hands defensively.  
"The only reason I ask is that I don't want something like this hindering the team's goals, okay?"

"Wait a minute, what about you? Up until a week ago you've been running two steps behind her like a lovesick puppy and now you're accusing me?"

Fox grimaced, trying to dodge the question. "You don't have to hide it, Lance, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Even if you're a big tough guy, you know?"

"Now _wait_ just a minute!"

"Lance, I'm not trying…alright, even if you two are…" He defensively held up his hands. "…I'm just curious, you know? Not like there's anything wrong with that."

The human put a hand on his hip, while the other rubbed his temples of his tilted head. Several moments passed, and a sigh broke the pervading silence.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to tell you this."

"Why not?"

"It's a really sensitive subject, I think. Back home and here, for different reasons." Callahan took a glance over his shoulder and began walking, beckoning Fox to follow. "See…I know what you're saying, but seeing as you're…looking at your position on all this, I'm gonna be very blunt with you. Just to put your mind at ease."

"Okay?"

"You see…remember when I told you we were the only sentient race on Earth?"

"Yeah."

"Where do you think that leaves the rest of you? Mammals, Reptiles, all of the above." He waved his hand around in a cyclical motion. "As a matter of fact…all other life forms have a completely different physiology."

"You explained all of that," Fox pushed, "but how does this connect with…"

"I'm getting there." His voice irritably cut through Fox. "See…humans…" he coughed awkwardly. "…we don't crossbreed, if you know what I mean."

"It would be impossible, right?"

"Of course! Of course…but that's a secondary reason…the impossibility, I mean. Uh…it'd be…if humans ever even _considered_…" he trailed off. There was NO easy way to explain this. "Animals are dirty. They're mindless, instinctive beasts. They aren't even self aware. Furthermore, they're filthy, unevolved, wild, destructive, it's just…the concept of…it's just unthinkable. Do you know what I'm saying?"

Eyes narrowed, Fox hesitated. "…I think…"

"Okay, now you're starting to get it, right?" He nodded his head up and down. "Imagine any of Lylat's wildlife. Now can you see what this is like?"

"……oh."

"We'd be labeled **deviant**. Outsiders. Unclean. _Furries._ It…well, it disgusts us."

"……but…wait a minute!" Fox frowned and halted where he stood. "But we aren't like that! We can think and feel and walk on two legs just like you. What makes us any different from you?"

"Fox, it's not you guys. But seeing as you completely resemble **anthropomorphic** animals, it's a matter of principle. That's what you are. No human…excuse me, no _normal_ human could take that kinda thing." He scratched the back of his head. Looked like Fox wasn't taking this well…he was getting the exact opposite of what he had hoped.

"Humans even had this fetish back home. Stemmed from an art style that kinda resembled you Cornerians, merged humans and animals. People even thought it was weird when that was thrown into a romantic context…the artists' fantasies reflected something none of us liked. And can you imagine when we found out about someone who fantasized about the real thing?"

"We've got the same thoughts, feelings, physiology, made ill and cured by the same means…" He frowned. "Is that really fair, Lance?"

"And that's why you guys are allies!" a reassuring hand found its way onto Fox's shoulder. "You're equals. Living among you guys, assimilating, that's one thing. But…that's as far as it should go." He lowered his voice for a particular word.

"Do you think you can go through life alone?"

Lance growled and shook his head. "Goddamnit, don't you get it? I KNOW it's not fair to you guys. That's a part of who we are. Point is…I can adopt all of your customs and idealisms, but there's no possible way I could accept what you thought about me and Krystal. It's just…humiliating. Shameful. Nasty. Any human would think the same."

"……oh. Well…" Fox was at a loss for words. Cornerians were so diverse that crossbreeding was very common. And for the sake of strengthening the genepool, it was even encouraged. He couldn't see how Lance could think this way.

"Why would you keep those traditions?" This time, it looked as if the vulpine pitied Lance. "You're in a whole new world now. You don't have to live up to whatever _that_ society told you to do."

"Suppose I'm wrong, Fox." Lance muttered. "If I am, humans still only think this way because they're alone. We're xenophobic. We fear anything we don't understand or anything that deviates from what we think is normal. Why do you think I didn't trust you guys when I first got here?"

In truth, this particular problem of paranoia was steadily but clearly growing better and better long before Lance was even born.

"……"

"What's the matter? I thought this would put your mind at ease!"

"About what?"

"About Krystal?"

"Oh. Well yeah, I'm relieved about that, I really am. But…" he turned away for a moment, spotting a rather mismatched young couple, a bat and a steed. "This whole 'furry' thing just seems kinda wrong…"

"I'll be honest with you. It's not that I can't change, it's that I don't want to. You guys are a highly admirable people, and you are undoubtedly " He shook his head and walked off. Without turning back, he raised a farewell hand and said: "I wouldn't expect you to understand it."

Fox stared after him for a while, half pitying and half aggravated at him.

Why would he cause himself suffering at the cause of a dead race's useless tradition? He couldn't understand it at all. He finally snorted and walked off, uplifted upon remembering Krystal's shining face.

_Well…at least I got what I wanted.  
_In spite of their conversation, Fox was filled with a renewed sense of security.


	29. Chapter 29: Truth of a Thousand Lies

Chapter 29: The Truth of a Thousand Lies

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Ten months.

Ten months had passed since the last encounter with the enigmatic adversaries once known as the Cerinian Seers.  
But that was only the first of the team's many coming hardships.

Looming in the distance, forbidding any light and sound or any life from entering its terrible atmosphere, Venom lay in wait. It hung there, spinning through space, taunting the mercenaries. Hence its name, it was an unspeakably dark and treacherous place, emitting gaseous poison like the terrible breath of an ancient monster. The bane of all existence, Venom called to the soldiers who dared to venture into the dragon's throat.

"There it is." Fox stood comfortably inside the bridge of the Great Fox. Arms crossed, his shadowed figure was outlined in a sickly green. "Finally…after months of waiting…we've been given permission to land."

"Are you sure about this, Fox?" Falco stood nearby, his keen eyes focused intensely on the world below. "This is a really dangerous mission. Getting through the atmosphere is one thing…and when we touch down, the gravity's much higher than on Corneria. We'll have trouble getting around and even getting off the surface. I dunno if the Arwings can take it!"

"Don't you worry about that, Falco." Slippy pressed a hand against the glass, watching storm clouds writhe and squirm around the planet's surface. Similarly, he found his innards shifting in disgust and anxiety. "I've adjusted the Arwings to handle the trip. With gravity likfe that, we just need to make very specific modifications in the main systems…it has nothing to do with how powerful the engines are."

"Is that why the main power is off?" Krystal inquired. She had just walked up to the window, standing next to Fox. "With the auxillery on, we've somehow managed to set an orbit."

Peppy spoke this time, seated behind them all on his swivel chair in the navigator's spot. "Keeping the engines running to avoid Venom's orbit is a waste of energy and a dangerous mistake. Right now we need to stay dormant, so to speak."

"So…how long were those papers being processed?" Lance leaned against a nearby console, resting his free hand on his hip. The pale glow from the dead planet cast a shadow over most of his face. His scarred eye watched the others from afar.

"I guess I should be thankful that we had this much time to prepare."

Fox nodded. "Nearly nine months. I have to admit…" He sighed heavily, tossing back his coat to rest his hands on his hips. "…dangerous as this is…this was actually a good idea you had here. I'm sure we'll find something."

The human nodded, momentarily revealing his scar above his visible eye. "I heard another bio-weapon appeared on Fortuna. That just proved my suspicions to the General. If he'd given us approval earlier, that terrible incident wouldn't have happened."

"You can rest easy." Peppy frowned. Though Lance wasn't necessarily bashing the General, Peppy would have preferred not to hear anything negative about the hound. "The General knows what he's doing. He's even supplied and funded us for the trip."

Lance caught onto his offense. "Bless his soul for it."

"Well…enough standing around." Fox turned around and clapped his hands twice. It was eerie seeing him in the darkness, almost as though the Great Fox were dead and haunted. "Everybody in uniform…prep your ships; in a few minutes, we'll be en route to the last known location of Andross' central base."

"Yessir!" Three voices let out, heading through the door and out of the bridge. Falco, Krystal and Lance headed out without a word, while Slippy and Peppy remained to prepare their work on the consoles.

The amphibian slid three screens together, and when switched on, revealed that several other Cornerian ships rested nearby, ready to carry out the same mission.

"Oh, Good. The backup's here." Peppy nodded in approval.

Prior to the contract, Pepper had only requested that Starfox lead the investigation and that the military have a part in it. After all…Andross had been the most dangerous enemy in all of Cornerian history. There was no way they were going to miss out on this.

"Just a few more minutes…" Slippy gulped. "I hope everything goes well…"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Faint shrieking and echoes pervaded throughout the silent air. The voice of Venom continued wailing and howling as four Arwings glided on their path.

"Is everyone ready?" Fox led the convoy, taking up the front with Krystal and Falco side by side and just behind him, with Lance taking up the rear right behind them.

"G-diffusers A-okay." Falco confirmed.

"Krystal?"

"I'm fine. All systems go."

"What about you, Lance? Can you fly?"

"Shaddup. I'm not _that_ bad." He chuckled.

"Since this was your idea, and because this is a ground mission, we're relying on you as second in command. Think you can handle it?"

"I've never really been a follower _or_ a leader, but I think I can manage." He replied.

"Don't get used to it. When we hit the surface, you'll arrange everyone strategically."

Lance grinned. "Cornerian technology with Human tactics…this'll be interesting."

In a couple minutes, the quartet made a rather rough landing on a plateau overlooking a vast expanse of grey and yellow plains, filled with dust and fissures in the cracked earth.

"Doesn't look too welcoming." Fox jumped out of the cockpit, landing gracelessly on the ground below. Soon as his feet touched his knees nearly collapsed.

"Wah!" Luckily, his disdain was concealed behind the reflective visor of his helmet. "I wasn't expecting that…the gravity…"

"It's ridiculous!" Lance landed with little more success. He adjusted himself according to Fox's jump, but the pull also took him by surprise. "Damn…and that's only 1.2 times greater than on Corneria." Even though they had rehearsed in a simulated environment, the change was still hard to get used to.

"My only complaint is these lousy suits." Falco observed himself, glancing at every square inch of the outfit. "I look like a clown!"

"Better than what they had on Earth. Heh…dear God."

"Whatever, let's continue." Fox pulled a floating sled out of the Arwing's frontal compartment. Nearby, the military personnel had begun to land. "You guys got all your equipment?"

"Of course." Krystal's voice sounded through the hollow speakers. She was pulling a similar sled with a select few items on it. "All the investigation tools we'll need for the first trip."

"I got my tools and my weapons…what's not to like?" Lance had but a small pack on his transport, and some sort of a rifle fastened on his backside.

Fox couldn't help but shake his head. "The entrance to the old base is due east of here. Let's shove off." He waved down the other personnel, who jogged behind them.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Several columns stood in the vast expanse, all aligned in rows, with consistent space between them. Sitting atop each of the posts was a stone bust crafted in the image of the planet's former leader.

"Andross…" Fox snarled to himself.

Falco apparently sympathized with Fox, for several moments after his friend uttered the name like a curse, Falco fired a single shot from his rifle at one of the busts, effectively blowing it to pieces.

"Falco! What are you doing?" Lance yelled, instinctively aiming his own rifle at the bird.

"Hey hey, you held me up once, bucko! Not this time!" Falco aimed his own.

The human ignored this threat. "Geez, don't touch anything yet!" He lowered his weapon, returning it to his shoulder.

The Cornerian troops behind them glanced at eachother puzzled, and simply pushed forward.

Fox didn't say anything, but secretly smiled at Falco's gesture. As he passed him, he gave him a quick but firm pat on the shoulder.

"So how's this going to work out, Sir?" The squad leader from one of the Special forces unit approached Fox. "You guys are heading the operation, so any particular plans?"

Fox nodded. "We've estimated that there are a few bio-weapons or a few drones left to guard the place. Probably leftovers from when this place was abandoned. We've distributed all our resources to ensure we can handle the worst possible situation. Lance?"

The vulpine gruffly patted Lance on the back, who had just appeared after hearing the soldier's inquiry.

"I'm sure your commanders showed you my new inventions, right?" by the sound of his voice, it was obvious he was grinning very widely.

He had recently introduced the human Sniper Rifle and Gatling Gun to the Cornerians' laser technology. Even though he hadn't used either invention in combat before, he passed it on to the military, whom he hoped would make good use of it.

"Brilliant invention it was, sir." The soldier nodded. "The humans sure knew their stuff."

Lance nodded, turning forward while talking. "Good. I hope you're familiar with the Gatling gun, because if Drones do attack, they'll come in swarms. Be sure to position the guns just as I directed. You may bring up the document I forwarded you."

Lights and panels blinked on the soldier's visor, indicating that he had opened up some kind of database.

"Good." Lance continued. "Set up those guns with about 100 meters of space between each, with a total of four in front of each entrance. Also, do you have sufficient sharpshooters?"

"Just as you requested."

Because the Sniper was new to the Cornerian's, however, there was no guarantee that they were destined for success. Though it would definitely help…

"Set them up at several of the _exact points_ I gave you." He pointed to a crevice in the canyon wall. They had finally approached the end of the road, and it was clear by the designs and metallic enhancements that this was their destination.

"With their locations they can help out against both drones and bio-weapons. And in neither case will they have to retreat. However…your guns and artillery will have to pack up and retreat into the entrances in the event of a bio-weapon attack. This is also why we have air support on top of the canyon walls. You got everything so far?"

Artillery was also a new concept to the Cornerians, the prospect of which was introduced along with the Gatling.

"Roger."

"All you have to do is patrol until we're done, and if anything attacks, take action just as we directed. Mounted guns don't fire till you see the whites of their eyes, and don't be afraid to use that artillery. If anything shows up…_waste_ 'em."

The commander saluted and walked off, madly waving his arms around to direct his troops on where to go.

Several yards away from the scene, Krystal was exchanging words with another squad leader.

"How much are these capable of transporting from the base?" She examined one of the pickups the grunts were directing.

"A few tons, give or take."

"Hm…how many of them do you have at your disposal?" She glanced around at the supply, estimating how much they would be carrying out.

Actually…the military expressed interest in occupying the base in order to better study it, which meant that they wouldn't need to take much with them.

"About as many as you need, ma'am. We've got about 50 units, and the ship can carry more than you could imagine."

"Alright then, stand by. We're going to scout the place before sending your troops in." She nodded courteously, and the commander motioned for his troops to set up their gear.

"You there, greenhorn!" Falco, the brashest of the four, aimed a gloved finger towards one of the many ledges around the base. This one rose about 20 yards above the main entrance, where two fighter planes had just landed.

"Tell the Captain we won't be needing his flight crew! Leave it all up to the ace here, yeah?"

Lance leaned over to Fox, not that whispering into a speaker would make a difference.

"We know he's good…but do you really think he's more effective than an entire Flight?"

"I've flown with Falco for about ten years now." Fox glanced in the avian's direction. "And I can say that an entire Wing couldn't handle him."

If a Wing equaled an average of 30 aircrafts, and Falco was so skilled that this number wouldn't matter, what could a single Flight of 6 crafts perform against such an ace?

_Wonder how that works out…_

"You stay here an dkeep an eye on things. I'm leading a platoon into the base. We're going to check things out before letting the crew in."

"Wait a sec…why did you bring me along if…"

"Because you're second banana this time around. I need you outside for now, and we gotta keep that brain of yours in one piece for when you go poking around for clues, alright?"

"……alright. Just call me up if you need anything."

"That's what I like to hear." Fox punched him in the chest before dashing off into the ruins, one platoon, four patrols, 12 soldiers each, pushing after him.

"……" Lance stared into the maw, watching until the unit completely disappeared.

"We shoulda just done this whole thing on our own. I swear…"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Down, down, down, it seemed the passageways and twisting corridors of the Venomian hive never relented, never grew shorter, never ceased to slither through the earth and into new chambers and new caverns yet undiscovered. Where one tunnel would be gilded with chrome and cold steel, another area would glitter with the luminescent walls made of what appeared to be long clusters of fiber. Hollow frames of metal fastened the curious threads in place, giving the tunnels a monstrous feel…almost as though it were once a living creature, stripped down to the very bone and muscle. Fox remembered it all too well…it was just like his last visit nearly 9 years ago, back when Andross still posed a threat to the Lylat system…back when he risked everything to dive deep into the heart of oblivion and face the deranged tyrant who murdered his father.

"What kinda place is this…?" A ram next to the vulpine exclaimed. So far, the unit had divided itself so many times in order to cover the entire facility, that Fox now only stood with two other soldiers. Approaching the next fork in the road would divide them for good.

"It's like it's not even a military base…are these catacombs?"

Fox's other comrade, a Sable, immediately began walking down another pathway.

"Well…according to the navigations program, it looks like all these tunnels don't really lead anywhere in particular; they just merge with eachother."

"So it's just like an ant farm, right?" Fox looked down at his communicator, clicking a few buttons to bring up a holographic map.

As he spoke the image grew more and more complex, filling in all the empty corners provided by the collective data of all 48 members of the platoon.

"But we haven't found anything yet. No tools, only halls and networks, no administrative setups, no stations…nothing."

"It's like one big foyer." The sheep agreed. "One big entry hall."

The sable approached the mercenary. "Sir…east of here in nearby tunnels, our navigations expert estimates that we've covered nearly all of this base."

"There must be something else…" Fox pondered. "There has to be…Andross wouldn't have this place for nothing."

"The only reason I could think of is security."

"That occurred to me, but where are all the sentries?" a few more clicks on the comlink brought up another holographic image; this one revealed that most of the dead ends and previously undiscovered passageways had been filled up.

"Go investigate the halls. I need to call someone."

The two soldiers saluted and walked off to destinations unknown. Meanwhile, Fox summoned the company of a familiar amphibian helper.

The image clicked in and out of focus, spewing fragmented words and images until fixing itself. "…rface of the canyon is too uneven to land ships in mass like that. You're just luc…nd good spots to land what they _do_ have."

"Slippy? Who are you talking to?"

"Huh? Whoa!" His trademark baseball cap flew off his head. "You just…appeared out of nowhere. Heh…"

"Don't worry yourself, Foxy." Falco's cocky voice reached his ears, shortly followed by an appearance in the hologram just next to Slippy's own mug. "We're just discussing how we landed all those ships in the canyon walls."

"Well, a small survey team checked out the area…" Slippy winced; it didn't look like he had any good news. "And the scans show that not only is there little suitable landing ground, but it'll be even harder for those ships to take off!"

"I already told you, it isn't gonna be a problem."

"And how is that? This kind of precision is really really dangerous to try and pull off given the circumstances of…"

"Uh…look, you two are busy, is Peppy there?" Fox hadn't exactly anticipated breaking into an argument…

"He's just keeping an eye on all updated information from the explorers' findings."

"Great, great…that's just what I needed." Fox nodded with approval. "Forward him, will you?"

In an instant, the squabble died down as the two were replaced by the team's official navigator. "What is it, Fox?" Peppy continued staring town, transfixed at the text on the computer in front of him.

"Peppy, I need to know more about the base. Right now it looks like we're just running in circles! We aren't getting anywhere!"

"Have you been keeping an eye on the informants?" Peppy glanced up, adjusting his spectacles. "In the past ten minutes they've been producing more results than in the entire trip. That usually indicates that all the empty corners of the map are being filled in."

"So does this lead anywhere?"

"We're pretty sure it does. Let me direct you to the next untouched area. Wait a minute…" Peppy leaned over, glancing away while the faint clicking of a keyboard tapped through the audio. "…right…here. I'm forwarding the coordinates. But I still recommend you take a few troops with you. You may not have found anything yet, but you never know."

Fox examined the blueprint of the maze floating before him. "There's only one corridor left."

"Exactly."

"And there's a door there!" He exclaimed. "A big one…wonder where it leads, eh?"

"A new facility. Or the _real_ one." Peppy nodded, folding his hands. His body dipped, indicating that he was reclining in his chair. "I just hope it isn't much bigger than what we've seen so far…"

"Call in Krystal's crew and give them the green light."

"Roger that." Peppy nodded and switched off the communication.

Again, Fox hit a single key on his own device to contact one more person.

"……see, it never heats up too much because the barrels rotate every time you fire off a round. So you could keep…huh? Hang on a sec…" Lance. That familiar, calm voice graced the air before his face.

"Fox? What's up?"

"Peppy just found another door. We think it leads to the real facility, and that these weird tunnels are just some kind of security perimeter. What do you think? Does this complicate your job at all?"

By now Fox was convinced that any human could do a better job with ground warfare than the Supreme Commander himself. He wouldn't consider moving out without consulting the esteemed Blackheart himself.

Lance thought for a moment. "……actually…" He scratched his chin and glanced over his shoulder.

"That's actually pretty good news. In closed spaces, it's ridiculously hard for anything to try and launch an offensive. Especially with guns like these."

"But what about the defense outside?"

"The gunners are only a measure to ensure that nothing gets inside. They'll be much better off in the tunnels, I think. But it can't hurt to leave a few out here. Meanwhile, the _"chair force"_ and artillery can still do their job and fend off any approaching invaders."

"Any chance for a surprise attack?"

"No. These surveyors scanned the place three times already. There's nothing around for miles, and there's nothing beyond that. If a fly drops dead we'll hear it a hundred miles away."

"No dormant lifeforms?"

"Sharpshooters and/or air support can take care of that. If it's a bioweapon, the artillery'll shoot it to kingdom come."

"I hope so…this is experimental technology. You know that, right?"

"Not for Earth, Fox."

"Fair enough."

"Call me back in 15 minutes, yeah? If everything's clear, we'll move in."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Nearly twenty minutes had passed, and most of the gunners had been relocated inside the catacombs, armed to the teeth but left without a purpose. Meanwhile, the active members of the Starfox unit, minus Falco, had parted from the Cornerian troops and proceded inside the _real_ base. Upon request, Lance was permitted to push on alone, armed with his custom blasters and assault rifle. In his own words, he didn't trust Cornerian weaponry.

Fox and Krystal stayed together, though. The two of them crept through flickering lights and torn up hallways. Needless to say, they found far more than they had in the previous area. In mere minutes they passed a control room, briefing room, a well maintained library, among other such luxuries. But everything had something in common: it was all well kept. It was as though the Venomian forces had deliberately left behind a lone janitor to maintain the abandoned hive. Moreover, the conditions were so perfect that the explorers even removed their helmets. The rooms were pressurized, filled with breathable air and even set to ideal temperatures. If nothing else, this was a nice consolation.

"This is bizarre…it's like no one left the place at all!" Fox observed the room around him. A halo of light hovered above a long table, illuminating the obsidian walls as well as the reflective table itself. Documents even sat on the tabletop, stacked neatly into organized piles.

"I wonder why that is…" Krystal frowned. "And look…all the lights are still on."

"Are you sure you don't sense any life at all?"

"I'm positive!" she insisted. "What if machines still run rampant? There's no telling if they know whether or not their masters are gone."

"We scanned it…and we know Venomian technology." Fox scratched his chin, puzzled.

"Maybe it's just as simple as saying that the tech was built to last?"

"I don't sense any danger, though…like nothing bad can happen."

"That's always a good sign." Fox pushed a button on a nearby door's console. The two doors slid open, leading into a catwalk over what appeared to be an abandoned factory. "Oh man…this place is creepy…"

"Fox…wait! What are you…" Krystal hissed to Fox. In the awful silence, the sound of her voice must have sounded much louder than it really was. The two were so terrified that they could almost hear a heartbeat.

Fox ignored her call. He aimed his blaster forward, inching out to the catwalk. "Uh…Krystal. This place is stone dead."

Ears lowered, centered towards the ground, Krystal tip toed over to Fox, crossing over into the darkness. "I just got something…I sense faint thoughts…"

Fox felt his stomach lurch. Something…out there? His eyes wandered into the abyss. The catwalk reached out into the blackness, beckoning the explorers. Morbid curiosity urged him forward, though his feet couldn't stop. "We gotta check it out. It's our job."

"Fox, stop! We need to bring backup!"

"Sssh…" Fox lowered to one knee. He paused for several seconds, listening to nothing. "Get your blaster out."

"Okay, I…AH!"

Fox whirled around, ready to blast any attacker to kingdom come. But what he saw was far worse than any of that; the door they had entered through had shut them in! "NO! Damnit!"

Fox dashed over to the console, prodding at the controls with his finger. But it was o use…the power was out. They were alone in the dark.

"Slippy! Falco! Anyone! Get down here _now!_"

He waited several seconds for a response, chest heaving. "Anyone?" The material in the walls was blocked any transmission from exiting, evident in the static patterns in the hologram. He fumbled with his communicator, turning it off to avoid being seen.

"Fox…" Krystal tried to stand to her feet, but the catwalk shifted ever so slightly, deterring her from rising any further.

_This can't be happening! I at least wish I knew what was out there!_

"Not now, Krystal!" the mercenary's knees shook,

_I gotta stay calm…I've been in worse positions. I'm only freaked out because of the scenery…it's just like in a movie. Just gotta calm down…I'm not facing any ghosts or anything._

"Fox, it's getting closer!" She hissed at him. Her heart was pounding like a drum, ready to leap right out of her chest. Again she attempted to rise to her feet, forcing herself to do so.

_I can do this…I have to. We've got to get through this!_/I

"Come on, we gotta find another way out!" he grabbed her by the arm, swiftly but silently whisking her through the factory.

"Let me lead, I can sense where that _thing_ is…whatever it is." She instead ran ahead of him, weaving in and out of the hallways without any real idea as to where she was going.

"I'll keep an ear open and make sure I keep us safe!" Fox offered. As soon as the words escaped his lips, he heard a loud banging noise resonate throughout the entire room. The two of them instinctively crept down to wait and listen.

They dare not breathe or utter a single word.

"……!" Krystal jumped with a gasp; it rang out again, but this time louder and closer than before. Something had bumped into a large, hollow container, shortly followed by the rustling of chains. Without any warning, the two dashed off, hand in hand. They could barely see, and only every once in a while were they graced with the smallest shard of light.

They ran past the next junction, flickering lights casting grotesque shapes on the stained and rusted walls of the empty forgery. They nearly hit a wall, but not before realizing they'd hit a dead end.

Without another word, they returned to the junction. Fox made the mistake of gazing down a corridor to his left, where the dim outline of a twisted freak flashed just before the lights went out completely.

"!!!" He gasped and fell to his feet, aiming the blaster where the stalker once stood.

Krystal grabbed her blaster and stood above him, ready to fight to the bitter end. In a matter of seconds she lost it and began firing madly down the hallway. The laser fire revealed that the figure had disappeared, and they found themselves feeling quite alone.

With a clumsy pound Fox jumped to his feet and ran away from the junction. But as soon as he rounded a corner…

"FREEZE!" a harsh voice commanded him. It was so close that Fox literally felt the thing's hot breath on his ear.

He and Krystal raised their blasters, but before they had a chance to pull the trigger…

"L-Lance??" Fox charged his blaster, illuminating an immediate area. The stalker before him was none other than Lance Callahan, their own footsoldier.

"……Fox? Krystal?" Dumbfounded, he let out a sigh of relief.

The two parties, still in a mental state of shock, continued aiming their weapons for a long time. Were they really facing their own allies? Did they really almost kill eachother.

"Holy shit, guys…" Lance sighed. The barrel of his rifle lowered to the ground, and he shook his head with relief. "You'd make great monsters, you know that?"

"Aha…" the two of them turned towrads eachother, giggling nervously before full on cackling hysterically. Lance leaned up against the wall, laughing more mildly.

"You weren't too bad yourself, Lance!"

For now…they weren't worried about the dangers around them. Now that they were all together again, they had nothing to fear.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So, Lance…" Krystal sat on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. "…what ever happened to that fearless human attitude of yours? I thought you were immune to fear."

The three of them were seated in the junction where they met Lance. He had planned far enough ahead to bring a few flares with him

"Well...yes and no."  
He pulled out his blaster, stripping some of the parts and reassembling them out of habit.  
"I control fear. You know there's no other impulse more powerful than the survival instinct? Once you learn to keep a cool head, you stop fearing everything and there's little that can stand in your way."

"So you don't really feel it while you're in action, then?" Fox inquired. He was sitting legs crossed in front of the light.

"That's the idea." Lance nodded. His arm was rested on his knee, with the other leg flat on the ground and his other arm propping him up. "When I dropped out of 'hunt mode,' so to speak, that's when it hit me. But it's like my teacher used to say: _To defeat fear you must become fear._ Remember it. Might save your lives."

"I'll remember it." Krystal smiled nervously. She glanced over her shoulder, but nothing was there.

"That must be why you made those noises…to frighten the enemy, right?"

"Actually it was to give away a false location. When I first heard you guys walking out here I thought something was out to get me…I have no idea what. If it was willing to come after me, how could I scare it? I thought if I could force it to move I could track it easier and kill it before I got knocked off."

Fox had to roll his eyes. He couldn't really blame Lance, but he found it mildly amusing how different their approaches to the same scenario were. "While we just want to live and run away, your belief was that you had to stamp out the threat to stay safe. That's why your our shocktrooper, Lance."

He was getting used to it by now. Where he once frowned in confusion at the human he now raised an eyebrow. Not so much in a cynical sense, though…

"Thanks for the flattery." He grunted the words, standing to his feet. Stretching his back out, the human glanced around for a moment.

"Alright, we've rested up." Fox rose as well, twirling his blaster before catching it behind his back. "What do you guys say we find a way outta here?"

"I say we get this over with." Krystal agreed. "I've had enough of this dreadful place."

"Do you sense anything?" Fox took a quick survey of his surroundings. If he had to go dashing through the dark again, he at least wanted to be prepared for it.

"Nothing. The coast is clear."

"Good. You lead the way."

"Wait a minute…" Lance put a hand on his shoulder.

"What now?"

"Let's form a convoy. Krystal can sense the place, but if we run into trouble she's the frontline."

Fox thought this over for a moment. "Good point." He walked behind Krystal, putting a reassuring hand on her back. "Then you take the lead, Lance. I'll take up the rear in case we get surprise attacked, and Krystal can direct you from behind."

"Okay." The two of them nodded in unison, assuming their respective positions.

At the moment, it didn't seem necessary for them to go through the trouble, but one can never be too sure.

They walked at a regular pace, guided by Lance's flare. He had given Fox his rifle for efficiency, and so he could hold the torch and a handgun at the same time.

"Hey, look at this…" After nearly ten minutes of wandering around, the group had finally spotted a potential exit. Krystal excitedly jumped ahead to examine it. "The power conduits are warm…this door is functional!"

"Oh, thank God." Lance muttered. "And it's even further into the facility."

"It's the best we've got." Fox replied. "Maybe we just have to activate a generator or something. Once we can restore power to that forge, we might be able to get out of here."

"Whatever. We'll find a way." Lance snorted. He was a resourceful individual…there was always a way.  
_Hm…if I had the Baroque Wand on me I'd be able to shatter the glass on those doors. But it's such a precious item that I hoped I wouldn't need it after trashing those Seers. Heh…just my luck._

"I'm glad." Fox nodded to Krystal, who proceeded to open the doorway on command. The panel raised upwards instead of sliding on the conventional horizontal track, and Lance took the first step into the new area.

"The lights are on again. I'm glad."

Krystal followed shortly after. "And still not a single sign of life."  
_Or…is there? Could it be someone else we know? Maybe it's just my imagination…_

"Hey, guys…" Fox stopped them, looking down at his communicator. Without his input, a message flew up on screen: 'Top priority: find the three missing units.'

"Looks like they sent out a search team or two."

"Call Peppy. I bet he's worried sick." Lance suggested gruffly.

"Or Slippy…we must have lost them when we entered that factory," Krystal added, "but it looks like we have better access in here."

"I wonder why that is?" Lance placed his blaster back in its holster and crossed his arms. "It couldn't have been a barrier; that place was dead. And I don't know of any material that can block out Cornerian transmissions."

"Peppy, can you hear us?"

Fox sent a call to the hare, but he was evidently busy. They waited half a minute before getting any kind of reply.

"Fox? Fox! Guys, we found him!" Excited cries of surprise and excitement sounded from the other line. "Where were you guys? You flew right off the radar and we thought we lost you! Hey, Lance is with you…"

"Nice to see you, too, Peppy." The human in question curled his lip.

"Whoa, don't take it that way. I just thought you ran off, that's all."

Lance tilted his head, trying to interpret the elder's words, but Peppy continued on anyway. "Anyway, we're sending a team to your location right now. Just stay put!"

"Make sure you sent the retrievers and the cryptologists, too."

"Huh? Why's tha—"

"YOU GUYS ARE ALIVE!!" An ecstatic yet obnoxious voice screeched over the comlink, piercing through the trio's ears. Slippy himself. "You have no idea how freaked out we were! What were you doing??" He demanded. "You know I thought you guys were dead!"

"It's not our fault!" Fox insisted. "We entered some abandoned area and our uplink cut out and…you know the deal, right?"

"Hm…" the frog pondered. "I guess it can't be helped."

"Slippy, you think that decoding program of yours is ready?" Lance jumped into the conversation.

"Hm? Yeah, why? Do you think there's some nearby code to be solved?"

"Wait…Slippy made a decoder?" Fox and Krystal exchanged glances, but she shrugged, unable to provide any explanation.

Recently, Lance had been spending time with Slippy in his workshop. As a genius and expert mechanic, he was Lance's number one scientific resourse aboard the Great Fox.

"That's right." Lance nodded, though the gesture might have been directed to either question. "There are all kinds of runes and stuff over on these walls. All along the walls. As you can see it kinda stretches into some kinda maze or something."

"I finished it a few weeks ago. I can send a prototype to your communicator if you want to give it a go."

"Lemme try it." Lance walked over to one wall, examining it closely.

In the few seconds it took for Slippy to retrieve and forward the program, Lance was already studying the walls, deciphering the codes with

"Hey, how does this thing work, anyway?"

"Just algorithms." Slippy waved it off like it was nothing. "Venom used plenty of codes during the war. Later, we found out that they were all mostly based on various programming languages Andross' technicians had developed. Writing an algorithm for this kinda thing is simple as laying out the program schematic in front of the "

"So these messages are just codes, in other words?" Fox now ran a hand along thef walls, having just downloaded the program from Slippy as well.

"That's uncreative…" muttered Lance.

"Hey…take a look at this stuff."

"What is it?" Krystal turned to glance over the human's shoulder. "Wait…let me…"

She knelt down to get a better look at the shot of the text. The Comm device brought up a translation of what it read.

"It's some kind of index." She turned back to the hologram. "Slippy! Your program works perfectly!"

Of course, the mechanic was flattered. "Aw yeah! Slippy's still got it!"

It was rare for anyone to find talent in both hardware and software. Slippy was one such person.

"Cerinians…culture, technology, advancement…southeastern corner of the maze…looks like he's got far more data than I have. Geez…"

"The maze?" Peppy returned after having remained silent for the past minute.

"It looks like the archives here are constructed quite literally like a brain." Fox held up his hands to illustrate. "It's a mini-maze, where the walls are just covered with data…"

"By the looks of it, enough to fill up a supercomputer or two." Krystal scratched her head in amazement.

"Venomian scientific research and technology, locations of _all_ bio-weapons, all his plans to resurrect himself in a crapload of different ways, locations of…what's an energist?"

"Hey…Agatio mentioned something like that!" Fox pounded his open palm.

"Huh? Geez…this is the most well-connected person I've ever seen." Lance pointed to another part of the 'index.' "He's even got a whole friggin' section on Cerinia!"

Krystal's ears pointed erect. "Really? Where?" She took off to where the directory instructed her. "Maybe I can learn something after all! You have no idea what it's like to know so little about your own culture." She mumbled this to the other two as she walked off, not really thinking about anything else.

"Good. She deserves it." Fox nodded. "Let's see what else this thing says…"

"He seems to have some kind of climate control device that can neutralize the Venom sea." Lance responded.

"Do you know what that means?" Peppy's eyes widened in excitement. "The sea is the source of all of Venom's environmental problems! With the PH level regulated, the poison in the atmosphere should start to dissipate, the air will be more tolerable…that's amazing! Where's it hidden??"

"Somewhere on Titania." Fox responded.

"Wow." Slippy whistled. "We'll be sure to pick that up on our next stop!"

"But why would he create something like that?" Lance frowned and scratched his chin. "Maybe he wasn't all that nutty at one point or another. But…he seems to note some kinda race indigenous to the Venom sea. Uh, let's see…'Anglars'?" Everyone paused for several seconds. "If he neutralized the sea, I imagine these Anglars'd be screwed sideways."

"Oh, that's ridiculous!" Peppy shook his head vehemently. "Nothing can live on Venom. It's impossible!"

"Well it seems they're his own creations." Fox pointed out. "As a matter of fact, they might even be involved in one of his schemes, you know? Call it a hunch."

"He lists a few other races here. Saurians, Krazoas, and something called Aparoids. Hey, wait a minute…"

"How does he know about that??" Peppy shook a fist. "No one knows anything about the Krazoas, and the Cornerian Air Force only encountered a single Aparoid! How could he know anything about those??"

"Hey, he's Andross. Remember?" Slippy shrugged. "Hey, look, I gotta inform the others about you guys. I'm outta here, okay?" With that, his image faded out of sight.

"You know what, I'll just do the same." Peppy sighed. "Stay in touch, and upload all the images you can of the coding in that room."

"Got it." Fox and Lance acknowledged the request at the same time, just before the hare left them to their own devices.

"Alright…this is gonna be a bitch of a report." Lance rubbed his hands together.

"I'll say." Fox rubbed his temples. "We'd better get to work on archiving this stuff."

He promptly set to work photographing the walls of coding, working his way down the hall and all throughout the facility.  
"You know, I gotta hand it to you, Lance."

"Hm?"

"Your idea to come here and investigate the place…I'm glad we listened to you." He snickered mischievously, and yet that playful attitude held a sincerity of its own.

"……thanks, Fox." The two returned to their work. Fox worked his way along the walls, informing Krystal of their new objective. She aided them, taking breaks to read some of the encoded lines.

"Hey, what's this?" She wondered.

"What's what?"

"Andross had some plans for a nearby base, unused during the Venomian war. This one's different…the records describe it as a refuge."

"A refuge, huh…"

"Fox, you don't think…what if there's a chance that…"

"Krystal, don't worry about it. Even if there are a few rebels out there somewhere, what are they gonna do?" Fox smiled with confidence. "They're divided. And they've got us to deal with."

"I suppose you're right. I mean, it's been ten years. They would have made _some_ move by now."


	30. Chapter 30: Tartarus

**Author's notes:  
****I know this one was a long time coming, so...here it is. I've had this on my DA account for a long time now, but always neglected to properly keep my FF account up to date. Now that I'm reworking the story a little bit, FanFiction should be up to speed by the end of the week.**

**On another note: A quick reminder that there are a couple of intermission chapters between the first and second arc, which have not been submitted on , so if you want to get a look at those, head over to: ** .com

Chapter 30: Tartarus

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Hey, is that it? We all packed up?" Lance popped his collar, straightening himself out after a nice, long investigation.

"Looks like it." Fox rubbed his hands, scanning the room around him. "We just double checked on everything we need. Hey, call up Slippy and tell him we're headed back now." Fox pointed to the inscriptions over his shoulder. "We've got enough from just a day's worth."

"Cool, we'll call him and let him know." After nearly an hour, the trio had scanned every single square inch of the archives, and even double checked for any missed spots or even secret compartments. There was nothing else; they had picked clean about 3,000 square feet of code, which was forwarded and placed into Cornerian hands.

_This is pretty cool, come to think of it…_ Lance hesitated from his task, glancing over at Fox and Krystal, the latter of whom had just emerged from the maze of data.  
_Human…Cornerian…Cerinian…three worlds working together, acting as one. We've got the best of each worlds here._ Quite often he found himself watching them closely, unsure what to think of them. By now he knew them…but on occasion he felt envy towards them and their advancements. At times he felt proud for his own race, for what advantages the humans boasted. But for the most part, he felt relieved that  
_Maybe one day, Humans and Cornerians…_ As soon as the vulpine turned his head, the human turned away.

_It could never happen._ He grinned, inputting several commands on the module on his forearm.  
"Hey, Slipman, you there?" He spoke into the mic, still poking several buttons on the layers of floating screens.

"Hey, guy! How you three doing down there?" Slippy's image popped up in the shining cluster.

"Pretty good. We got a report now. Here it is…"

Fox watched the human dictate the message for the frog, throwing his hands around this way and that.  
"Well, Krys, what do you think?" With just a few clicks, the digital image of the entire solar system lit up. Various spots and markings denoted where questionable activities took place, and wherever Andross had laid his hands during his entire time in exile.  
At last…all of Venom's dirty little secrets rested in the palm of his hand!

"This is great!" She exclaimed, wide eyed. "Look! The records even list all the sites you went to on Sauria!"

"I wonder what the glowing red spots are…"

"Let's see…" Krystal pointed to one of them, an area just outside Sector Z, causing the area to expand. Upon closer inspection, the location appeared to be an isolated station, as far away from any civilized contact as possible.  
"They really want to hide whatever it is…" A paragraph of text scrolled down directly underneath the star.  
"It's…an 'energist.' Fox, isn't that…"

"Yeah…I think so." Fox nodded. The term hadn't been spoken, but he knew; they both did. "It's one of those failed Blood Ruby replicas."

"There seem to be quite a few of them at that particular spot." The image revealed an elongated carrier ship, lined with cannons and anti-air weapons. A broken fin-shaped extension jutted out from underneath the rear of the ship.  
"We'd better go investigate it."

"I don't think we'll have to. The description says it's controlled from a control station somewhere else."

"Oh. So if the station broke down along with Venom, we won't have to worry."

"…and that's about it." Lance, meanwhile, had just finished a quick conversation with the team's mechanic. "Anything else? Now that we've got all this info, we'd better get to stomping out whatever this guy's still got going."

"Yeah, it looks like Andross has a way of reaching out from the grave." Slippy shook his head. "The Military is going to occupy all the abandoned bases and take up shop. Meanwhile, Pepper was generous enough to offer us a contract and bust up whatever stand in their way."  
From where he sat, Lance could see Slippy lean back and begin hammering away at a keyboard and running his eyes over the screen next to it.

"Hey, lemme ask you something…do you think this team gets way too much action?" Lance crossed his arms, frowning slightly. He was bothered by the thought that his current notions might not have occurred to the rest of the team.

"Huh? Wait a minute…" Slippy's gaze shot up from the keyboard. Evidently the question was preposterous enough to _break his focus._ God forbid…  
"What do you mean by that? That's how we get paid! Aren't you the hardcore footsoldier of the team?"

"It's not that I'm getting lazy or scared or anything!" Lance shot back. "But I just talked to this guy the other day…he was a mercenary. But because we're getting all the big jobs, guys like him aren't getting anything. And do you know how many of them there are?"

"…Oh." The amphibian scratched his bald head, moving his hat from its perch. "That actually never occurred to me. But you know…even though this might be the most famous project right now, there are still a bunch of…" his voice was cut off by a quick ringing tone from a device on the Great Fox.  
"Hold on…urgent message from Montoya."

Rear Admiral Montoya…that would be the leader of the mission to Venom.

"Hey, get Fox over here, will you?"

"Sure." Lance turned to wave towards the two foxes, closely examining one of the maps they had just obtained.

Krystal happened to be looking up when she noticed the motion first, and pointed for Fox to walk over. "What is it?" She called out to him from afar.

"We just got a message from the Admiral." Slippy was holding up an earpiece to one side of his head, making some kind of motions offscreen. Again, he was tinkering with a nearby keypad.  
"Intel is going to finish decoding the entire archive in about an hour, but as soon as they got done with this one section…they checked out a region of Venom…"

"Yeah? And what's going on?" Fox crossed his arms. He and Krystal had just approached the hologram.  
"It doesn't sound like you're happy."

"Yeah, see…they found some really weird activity coming from the other hemisphere."

"The Blind Spot?"

"Yeah…"

A long pause plagued the four of them, all unsure what to say or do or even think. "That…is that even possible…?" Fox clenched his fists. He could only pray that this didn't mean what he suspected. "What kind of activity are they picking up?"

"I'm not sure. But…we've got more bad news, guys." Slippy set his earpiece down gloomily. "Falco went off to find them on his own."

"What? Against direct orders?" Lance shouted out at the bird's foolishness. "What was he thinking?!"

"If he finds something big…" The vixen shook her head in dismay. She knew Falco was reckless and brash, but this was far worse than his usual self. "I just hope he makes it back. If he finds what we think we've found…"

"Yeah…not even he can take them on his own." Fox finished her sentence for her. "The fool…"

"You guys better get out here…quick." Slippy glanced over his shoulder. "Things just keep getting better and better."

Due to the planet's strange rotational properties, it took one full revolution for Venom to cycle through a single day. Because Venom's axis stood at a percect ninety degrees, this also meant that no planet between Venom and the sun could see the entire 'back' hemisphere. On the other side of the barren world lay a wasteland few dared to explore…it was the perfect hiding spot for Andross and his fragmented army. Ever since the end of the Venomian war, the soldiers were forced to eek out a living on the only world that would have them; as enemies of the entire system, where else did they belong?  
It was hell…the darkest, most secret corner of the Lylatean existence.

From the depths of the dark, forsaken world, a sinister plot had already begun to crumble, much to the surprise even of those who caused it. "That's impossible!" Two frustrated hands pounded a console displaying holographic images and text. "We've hidden our activities so well over the years and even managed to quarantine this entire God-forsaken planet! How could they have detected us?"

"Well, sir…our equipment just picked up the presence of four battleships, but only a battalion's worth of personnel landed on the surface." The soldier's face and species were concealed behind his glowing visor. He offered a transparent slate to his commander, which illuminated with the data he provided.  
"About a quarter of the ground troops don't seem to have any association with the military."

"Who's leading the mission?" the commander's nimble hands seized the slate, beady eyes skimmed over the light patterns it emitted.

"Judging by the insignia on the side of the main ship, we think it may be Rear Admiral Montoya. But…"

"So the Navy is overseeing the operation…" He turned his head towards the trooper. "'But' what? I know that tone in your voice…it's not good, is it?"  
A very animated individual, the unnamed commander shifted next to the subordinate, as if to hear a secret.

"Even though an official Cornerian admiral is leading the project…it is being overseen by Starfox."

"**What?**" the commander stiffened up, tossing aside the datacore. "Are you sure? How did you find this out?"

"Same way we found everything else."

"Don't smartass _me!_"

"Ah…terribly sorry, sir."

"This is awful…" the commander folded his hands behind his back and begun pacing around the office. The lighting was dim, filling the air with a thick, tense red. He peered over through the windows, reinforced by a force field glowing in a distinctive honeycomb pattern. Miles below him, an army marched forward, and high above, ships and fighter crafts soared through the acidic clouds.  
And everything was red. Occasionally yellow…everything was aggressive, drenched in various shades of rage. Everything was metallic, sleek and dangerous. Force fields replaced conventional doors and tunnels, built to protect the property from the acid rain of the planet's blind spot. There was even a large extension which mushroomed above the entire facility, splitting into four arrowhead shaped fields which served as an umbrella from the elements. It was a horrible life…everything was mechanical, everything was artificial, constantly covered in the dim lights from the cluttered machinery which pervaded into every tiny crevice of life.

Thanks to their previous leader, Venom was _far_ beyond Corneria.

"If Starfox is leading the operation…" the commander finally turned back to the soldier. "I don't know what happened, but we have to avoid them at all costs! I won't make the same mistake my uncle made!" He took another step forward, briefly revealing his own face in the bar of light suspended from the ceiling.  
Andrew Oikonny.

"Why avoid them?" Oikonny turned nonchalantly. Two things reached his ears: the powering down of a doorway, and then the low, menacing voice of his favorite business associate. "After all the work I've been putting into my game, I'm gonna take down that little punk if I have to divebomb him myself!"  
A clenched, trembling fist threatened any challengers.

"Wolf, glad to see you're back." Oikonny folded his hands behind his straightened back. "Did you see them, too?"

"I'm glad I didn't." he sneered in response. "I mighta done something I'd regret later. Heheh…"

"Lord O'Donnell, you're back." The soldier saluted. "So early, sir?"

"Don't you take that tone with me!" Wolf waved his hand around. "You're not my subordinate. And take off that helmet; you aren't on duty and you aren't fighting. What are you, can't you just adjust to normal society?"

"Yessir." The helmet came off…revealing the hardened face of a Saurian, Sharpclaw tribe, no less.

"Stop calling me 'Sir!' Honestly…I don't know what Scales was feeding you, but that's not how we operate here!" He swatted at the air with his fist.

"…Aye." She nodded. Having removed her helmet, her voice changed as well.  
"My apologies…having been taken from the Sharpclaw…" she hesitated, trying to find ways to sound more casual. "…Ah…you Cornerians are much different, you see."

"Yeah yeah…" Wolf shook his head.  
She'd explained it numerous times, and it wasn't doing any of them any favors.

"Well back to the matter at hand…." Oikonny took a quick glance at the Sharpclaw's helmet. "Star Fox is still a problem. They brought a batallion of soldiers with them. What's your take on this, Wolf?"

The threat of being outnumbered by the Cornerians frightened them all much less than the prospect of facing their counterparts again. "Seems to me like they're setting up for an attack…but we have no way of knowing."  
Wolf prodded at the touchscreen behind his employer's desk, bringing up a map of Lylat, and then a map of Venom.

"See right here, they've set up their fighter crafts, and they're being lead by a single Arwing. See that?"

"But what do they have to gain?" The Sharpclaw examined the map closely. "That base looks abandoned, so if they had any notion of setting foot on Venom why would they search there?"

"Because…" Oikonny scowled, "before we came along…that was Andross' central command!"

"Haha!" Wolf laughed out loud, not holding back one bit. "Oh that's cute…they think they're going to seek out Venomian Technology? What else could they possibly want? Maybe they want to find clues to something? To us? But how could they even know anything like that? Or maybe…" his remaining eye turned on the ape, "is there something you aren't telling us, Bossman?"

"As far as I know…they won't find anything." The ape stroked his chin, closely inspecting the positions of all the units and all soldiers. He showed particular interest in the artillery cannons set around the top of the cliff walls.  
_I've never seen weapons like that before…_  
"But they are desecrating what could be considered monumental property." Perhaps he truly was not aware of his Uncle's archives? "I only wish I knew what they were up to."

"Should we strike?" The sharpclaw made a motion towards a weapon at her side.

"No, no…we have the superior forces." Oikonny held up a hand to reassure the new mercenary. "If we strike too early we will lose everything we've worked for! Even the factors that will guarantee us victory over the Cornerians!"

"Will the Anglars join us if conflict breaks our early?" The Sharpclaw turned to Wolf expectantly.

"What _is_ that all about, anyway?" Wolf frowned. "You mentioned them once before, but if we're going to be working with them I want to know what this is first."

"Uncle created them during exile." The emperor showed off his square teeth to the two. "They're ships and weapons are all networked through central units, so they'll make quite a formidable force. They're numerous, too…and strong. Best of all, they reside in the Venom sea; nothing can reach them!"

A nod of approval graced the primate. "I don't know about all this, though." Wolf fell back into a swivel chair in front of the desk. "There are still all sorts 'a preparations that need to be done. We can't just fight them back or fend them off."

"Yes, yes, I know. I'm well aware of our compromising position." Oikonny began rubbing his temples, face creasing and stretching. "But if they launch an attack, what other choice do we have?"

"We will simply fight to our deaths." The Sharpclaw nodded. "But if we can…we will continue to bide our time."  
Typical of a member of a warrior tribe to strive for a glorious death.

"I don't think we'll have to wait long." Wolf pointed to the screen, which Oikonny eagerly scanned. "They're assembling already."

It was true. Footage from the planet's spy network revealed that the soldiers were busy loading cargo onto transport ships, but several gunmen were also rushing out to board their own battleships. Leading them all was a convoy of three of the Starfox members.

Wolf stared, face creasing and darkening with hate. "Fox…I see him…"

"It's _him!_" The female Sharpclaw grew more violent by the moment, nearly ready to rip the device from the ground where it was rooted.  
_"It's the outsider who ruined our plans!"_

The timing couldn't have been more fitting; the red alert had begun air sirens screaming throughout the entire complex and maybe even more throughout this region of Venom. Soon, the whole of Oikonny's military was aware of the dangers ahead. "What's going on?" The ape leaped up, whipping his head around, wildly trying to vent his frustration. "How did they find us? How **in the world** did they find us?"

"I may be wrong, but…" Wolf peeked out the window, parting the blinds with two fingers. "It looks like we already chased after them."

"I never issued any orders!" enraged, the chimp grabbed the nearest object…which happened to be a chair…and chucked it at the window next to the lupine hunter, who casually sidestepped while the chair bounced off the field-protected window.

He simply raised an eyebrow. "Any chance we could hide this?"

"Maybe…maybe if we terminate the threat while they're still here." He cradled his throbbing head in his broad hands, trying to rub out his growing migraine. "Yeah…then the Cornerians would still know that their unit was destroyed somehow…but they'd have to investigate." He lifted his head, his eyes were filled with new determination. "We'll keep them in the dark by destroying the target before they relay any messages…if possible. We can pass it off as a bioweapon, one of Uncle's leftovers."

"And if we can't do that…?" Wolf scowled.  
The entire Venomian military…a decade in recreation…was still far from prepared for a full scale invasion.

"We've prepared for the worst…now let's hope for the best."

"Is it time to crush our enemy?" The Sharpclaw saluted Oikonny. Wolf looked her over, not seeming to care, but followed suit anyway.

"I'd be honored to crush some Cornerian worms. We can't lose this time." He barred his right arm across his chest, fist raised just in front of his left shoulder

"Good. Call the rest of your team and head out _now._ You know the drill." Their commander offered them the same salute.  
"Dismissed!"

"Tell them to disband any ground units they have set up!" Fox yelled at his unseen partner. "Load up everything they can on the ships and get out of here!"

"The ships are on standby, but I'll forward the message to the troops."  
On the other line, Slippy had just established a link with command.

Metallic hallways criss crossed this way and that, weaving through the planet like veins run bone dry. Completely abandoned, this station was filled only with echoes of the horrors that once walked these catacombs.  
Now, over a decade later, three lone merceneries dashed in and out of the corridors, through one junction and into the next with only seconds in between. All was silent, but they knew of the impending disaster.

Past the empty factory, past the tunnels, at long last they reached the end of the innermost burial site of the empire. They were nearing the outside…they could hear voices and loud shouting in the distance.  
"Everyone, put your helmets back on." Fox ordered. "We're about to head outside again."

The trio equipped and pressurized their gear before heading any further.  
Pressing on once more, they passed much of the footsoldiers Lance had set up earlier; he stayed behind for the time being, helping to pack up their weapons and directing them again.

They broke out into the air again, only to find that every soldier around them running around as frantically as they were or more. One ship had already begun to lift itself into the sky, with its thrusters causing a massive dust cloud to form.  
Another one nearby was warming up its engines, waiting for some final scattered ground troops to board.  
Krystal ran off to try and figure out where her officers had gone…luckily, she didn't have to search for long.

"Guys! What's the status?" Fox found the officer placed in his charge, frantically directing more pilots to ready their own fighter crafts.

"Two of our ships, Falco's included, flew off to investigate the target we found. We sent four more to retrieve them, and now we just received word that an entire Air Brigade is coming this way!"

"Damnit!" Fox clenched his fist. "What happened to the six who aren't here?"

"Only the original two and one of our escorts survived, sir…they bailed on a dogfight but they didn't make it!"

"Great…" Fox shook his head, waving for the Captain to continue his duties. "Slippy? You still there?"

"I'm kinda tied up at the moment…"

"Call for reinforcements! Stat!"

"Soon as I…"

"NOW!"

The frog asked no more questions; back inside the Great Fox, however, he was all busy trying to converse with four people at once. Peppy wasn't much better off…and ROB had been put in charge of positioning the Great Fox so the team could make a quick getaway.

"…ose within range are they?" Lance just dashed past Fox, wildly whipping his head around, looking for God knows what.

"~They're about 50 kilometers into the hemisphere. With this we'll be able to fire at 30km.~"

"Start targeting now! Soon as the transport gets there, load everything up and move out!"  
Technological capabilities allowed for all forms of long-range weapons to be quickly and efficiently moved and relocated.

"~What? But sir, we've got plenty of time before we're overrun!~"

"If they get their hands on that equipment we're screwed! Now do it!"

"~Yessir!~"

Lance put a hand on Fox's shoulder, and looked him in the eyes with the most irate look possible, barely visible behind his visor. "If I'd had any idea they had active troops on this planet…shit…"  
He shook his head, still watching Fox. "I'm sorry, man…"  
The vulpine only stared back, trying to figure out what he was apologizing for. But there was no time…the human ran off, barking orders to his platoon of ground troops, primarily his artillery and their logistics.

"What are you planning?"

Lance halted, grinding his heels into the dust. "The enemy is in massive numbers! The best we can do right now is divide 'em up and maintain an opening for escape."  
A shrieking, crashing sound ripped through the air, and a green light flashed from above the ridge. Fox leaped into an offensive stance, expecting an enemy attack, until he realized it was just the artillery, followed shortly by several more blasts of fire.

"Was that it…?" Fox dropped his blaster back to his side when he realized the hellfire was working for their gain. There was no reponse, however, as the fierce alien ran towards the fray.  
_I'll tune into his comlink…I wonder what's happening up there?_

The vulpine glanced upwards: a storm of fighters glided alongside one battleship, growing smaller and smaller as the cluster raised further away from the planet, and one final ship wasn't too far behind.  
_What is he planning…? I thought the fighters were going to guard the transports for a getaway, but are they just leaving the last vessel behind?_

His Arwing wasn't too far from here, and if he could reach in time he would have to guard that last transport really closely.  
"~They're falling back! I can't believe it, they're retreating!~"

"~Don't stop firing. They won't be out of range for a while.~" Lance's cool, confident voice commanded the artillery line.

Fox rounded a barren corner, listening in on the conversation.  
"~Why aren't their shields blocking the fire?~"

"~Those were designed for fighters. They can't block heavy weaponry.~"

"~They're coming back with more! There's an entire Air Division coming our way!~"

Fox reached his Arwing, hopping into the cockpit and readying the engines.  
"~Don't stop! You're almost in the clear!~"

"~Load 'em up! It's here!~"

An Arwing blazed into the sky in a graceful arc, spinning beautifully before somersaulting through the air and blasting off headlong into battle.

"~Is…is that Fox? WHAT IS HE DOING?!~"

"You can rest easy, Lance." Said the vulpine. "I'm only helping out our buddies in the air."

"~You can't possibly expect to outfight those numbers! It's suicide!~"

"We've done it before." He replied confidently. "I don't know how it is on Earth, but I've never met an enemy I couldn't beat!"

Lance was burning up right now. The artillery fire stopped momentarily, suggesting that they were finally loading up. "Of all the arrogant, selfish notions…"

"Relax. Just because you can't fly doesn't mean the rest of us can't take on an _ancient, broken_ army." Fox continued smiling throughout this whole conversation, but Lance remained silent after hearing this sharp statement.  
"Over and out."

The footsoldier found that his link had been severed, cursing under his breath.  
"Fine…we'll see just how legendary our little doggy is."  
Above him, another Arwing shot in the Force's direction, presumably Krystal's, and behind him, marksmen waved him on, motioning to follow. He turned promptly to join the ranks of the subordinate staff.  
_Guess I don't have a choice in the matter._

"You guys go on ahead. I'll join you shortly."  
_I'm not sticking my neck out for this…and I can't show off just yet with five allies in the swarm._  
Lance motioned for them to depart, and they did so. He had another mode of transport…his Arwing was still lying around somewhere.  
_I almost forgot that ground fighting has little application in this system. Tch…I can still use it…I'll have to if I wanna prove myself useful to these people._

"Alright…come to me."

All ships had left the planet's surface, but they weren't even halfway gone. There still lay quite a stretch ahead of them, and Venom's forces were hot on their trail. Luckily, the escape rested on the shoulders of some of the system's greatest pilots to ever grace the skies…the enemy would be too busy decimating Fox's squad, if they even lasted.  
The likelihood of survival or even distracting an entire military force was nigh, even though the pilots had all done it before. Lance had expressed his doubt…but it was his turn to be amazed this time.

"Okay, we're entering hostile air space now. Are you ready?" Fox warned the vixen of the coming hardships. She had trained and prepared for this moment, but it was still her first time, and very dangerous trials lay in wait ahead of them.

"~Ready as I'll ever be.~" Determination filled her voice, and she was ready for anything. Nothing could stand in her way now.

"Good. Then let's go!" Fox pushed on ahead, wary of the predators from the world below. They wouldn't have much time until Venomian forces caught up with the shipment.

"All we gotta do is fight off the attackers until backup arrives. We're not too long away from Venom airspace."

"~There's not much time.~" Falco barked over the line as his Arwing zoomed into view and blasted away just as quickly. "~Geez! We nearly got fried!~"

"Falco!" Fox pulled a sharp U-turn, with Krystal following close behind. "Give us some backup here!"

No sooner had the words escaped his mouth when a wave of fighters rained a flurry of bolts in their direction.

"~Cripes! They're right on us!~" Falco pulled a steep somersault, instinctively situating himself directly between the sun and his enemies. Of course…this would have worked if the distance was less than it was; Venom was too far away to make much of a difference, too far for the sun to blind the enemies as intended.  
"~Gravity's gonna make this one a pain in the rear, too!~"

Three Arwings took off straight into the heart of all enemies, weaving in and out, spinning to and fro while letting off blasters and the occasional smartbombs. The Cornerian forces joined them to protect their cargo, and all-out madness flooded the area.  
"~Augh! Let's go!" Krystal was unusually pumped by the situation, clear by her odd outbursts. "Ah! I've got them on the run!~"

"~You seem awfully **proud** of that.~" This time it was Lance. He wasn't in view, but everyone knew that scowling face he made at times like these.  
"~Whoever's in charge of these guys needs to tell them to stop moving backwards! We're gonna ring 'em out in a few seconds!~"

Fox's eyes scanned the skies. Everything was moving so fast, but it was so natural, so familiar, that his mind could easily process it all and assess every threat and every danger. It was so easy to barely tilt a few inches in any direction just to score a hit or just barely dodge the blaster fire he _predicted_ ships would fire. He was right every time, and never missed his mark. He had as much control over his own ship as he did his own breath; flying was second nature.  
_Ah…it's just like old times._

"~Yo! Who's in charge? Tell them to…~"

"~I'm on it!~"

"~Didn't you load up the ship with those cannons?~"

"~Well, given the time constraints, we didn't load up every one, so…~"

"~Get whatever you can and light up that second wave!~"

Fox recognized Lance's voice barking orders, followed by green beams of light mowing through distant fighter crafts. By now the cargo ships had broken out of the atmosphere, and the rest of the fight was taking place high above ground, still within Venom's airspace. While the first wave was tangling with the Starfox team and their associates, a second wave was fast on its way, a couple thousand feet away from their altitude. It wasn't long before tiny explosions lit up the skyline, following periodical blasts from one of the ship's fire.

"~Keep it up!~" An arrow-shaped, white and blue fighter craft zipped away like a metallic hummingbird.  
Again Fox heard the human's voice, and glanced at his radar; by the looks of it, he had just passed the vulpine in that weird vessel.  
_Is that…is that one of ours?_

He shook it out of his head. Of course, it couldn't mean anything. Maybe he had customized his ship a little…? But why that look? He'd look into it later, but for now he had more important things to deal with.  
A bogey headed straight for the Arwing's cockpit, firing like no tomorrow.  
_He's too amped up…has no idea what he's doing._

Fox shot off three bolts, no more, and stayed on course. With several well placed shots, the fighter exploded just as the Arwing plowed through the following explosion. Smoke and flames billowed away from the nose and the lead pilot turned on a new quarry.

"~I can't believe this!" pleaded Krystal. "~Why can't I shake this one?~"

"~Yo, Krystal!~" Falco bellowed over the line. "~This guy's got me nailed! What say we play a game of chicken?~"

"~Sounds like a plan!~"

The two blue mercs flew head on towards eachother, before tilting and veering to each's right side, exchanging targets and blasting them to bits shortly before parting ways.

"~Yeah! That's how it's done!~"

"~Whew…that was exhilarating!~"

"Don't get too comfortable, guys!" Fox adjusted his earpiece. He was totally at ease. "We're not out of here, yet!"

"~Fine, let's mosey.~" Falco popped his neck while speaking. "~I'm sick of this dump already.~"

"Team!" Fox responded, "Move out!"

Three Arwings fell into line, followed by a half of the Cornerians' initial numbers. They all tilted upwards, past the clouds and into a starry sky, beyond the poisonous reaches of this treacherous world. Far behind them, the jaws of death awaited them; the entire second wave had either fled or been destroyed.  
But…

"~Can't let you do that, Fox!~" A familiar voice, deep and gruff, bellowed through the speakers.  
"~You think I'd let this opportunity pass?~"


	31. Chapter 31: The Wolves Are Howling

Chapter 31: The Wolves Are Howling At Your Door

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Star Wolf!" Fox barked back. "I should have known you guys were involved!"

"~Heheh…are we ever anywhere else?~" Wolf chuckled, voice rumbling over the network. "~Venom's like a second home by now, which means you're on our turf now.~"

"~Hold your fire! There are pilots in the way!~" Somewhere, a captain was shouting at the cannon crew. By now Wolf and crew had caught up to the rest of the Cornerian forces, holding them up in front of their own ships. Any direct fire would mean a certain mass of friendly fire.  
"~I'm not firing at those boys if it wins us the war!~"  
Overly compassionate as always.

"~Heeheehee…all business, I see. Same as usual.~" It was Leon, maniacal as ever. "~Loosen up a bit—this might be your final hour!~"

"~I wouldn't hold my breath, gecko!~" Falco pulled several consecutive somersaults, just to show off his position to the lizard. "~This time I ain't leaving you a window to jump out of!~"

"~Enough with the one-liners, guys.~" Lance muttered over the intercom. "~We can't fire with you guys in the way, so you're gonna have to move the hell outta there. We HAVE to fight off that second wave as _soon as possible._~"

Fox nodded. "Fine. It's your contraption."

"~Thank the soldiers back home.~" It was clear Lance was grinning proudly on the other end. Of course, Slippy's engineering also helped the process greatly. "~Now get. Wolf is gonna follow you, but you can take him. He's not our target.~"

"Okay, I see where you're going with this." Fox tilted and glanced outside the cockpit window. There were four Wolfens and only three Arwings.  
_Outnumbered…this isn't gonna end well._  
Maybe if they could lead a Wolfen or two into the path of one of the cannons…

"~Where is the one you call Callahan?~"  
It was a new voice…clearly female, but harsh and forceful, almost to the point of sounding fake.

"~What? Who is that?~"  
Slippy called over the intercom. "~It's from one of the Wolfens. A new recruit, maybe?~"

"~Great, just what we need: another _Goodfella_…~" Lance muttered, a mafia reference.

"~I am Fang of the Sharpclaw, the one whom that wretched Krazoa of yours insulted and humiliated during our glorious unificat…~"

"~Just shut the hell up. I don't have time for this.~" Lance cut her off, but she exploded upon his lack of interest.  
He was still amazed at how all these Lylateans could speak while piloting; they were already firing away and barrel-rolling through the sky…multitasking was nothing to them.  
_Most amazing pilots I've ever dreamed of. Even the lizards. Seriously, what the hell?_

"~Are you such a worm that you cannot fight face to face or even come out in your ship?~" She raised her voice and circled the cockpit of the ship.  
"~Even enemies should show respect for one another! You are so obsessed up in yo…~"

"~Lieutenant Commander, fire the cannons just as advised,~" he continued.  
_Less talk, more do. Who does this twat think she is, anyway?_

"~Fox! Get out of there!~" The aforementioned officer barked orders at his troops after warning Fox of the incoming attack.

"You heard him, guys!" Fox turned sharply, tilting his wings and avoiding bolts from both sides, courtesy of a tailgating Wolfen.  
"Let's mosey!"

"~Second Line, spread your forces! More fire coming your way!~" O'Donnell's drawl rumbled over the audio link. Though it was a good first choice, the technology that Cornerians allowed would pick off all the largest ships individually before moving on to the rest of the swarm.

Moments later, a gigantic mothership flashed with a single brilliant explosion before falling to the gravity of the dark planet below.

"~Screw it! Hold back for now!~"  
The squadron leader was enraged, blasting away at all the Arwings and Cornerian fighters he could lay eyes on.  
"~We'll clear the scum away for the rest of you!~"

"~Fox, it's all up to you now. We got heavy damage here.~" Lance again.

"Don't worry, newbie, we'll handle everything out here!"  
With that, the transmission cut out.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"~You've picked the wrong guy to mess with, Fox!~" Again that same drawl taunted over the line, always followed by blaster fire. It got predictable, but Fox couldn't complain.

"What, you gonna get back at me for last time? And the time before that? And even before THAT time?"  
Fox zipped in between the main ship's wings, evading and trying to shake his attacker.  
"Face it, Wolf. You're out of your league."

"~As I recall, I was beating the tar out of you until your little monkey-bitch-friend came to save you!~"

"Guess that makes you the bitch's bitch." Fox retorted, braking suddenly.  
Perfect timing, because Wolf had just let up on his rain of fire…a rookie mistake.  
Either that or his overpowered blasters were overheating.  
"Watch yourself, _Cyclops._" He returned the attack with several of his own blasts, filling space with a rain of blue.

"~Heh, you think that's just hilarious, don't you?~" Wolf and Fox circled eachother, somersaulting and weaving in and out, each one trying to gain one up on the other.  
"~I guess I should thank you…in a world of deception, the one eyed man is king.~" Years before, Wolf had suffered the loss of his eye during an accident in space. It had occurred after one of his first confrontations against McCloud, so he forever after blamed his rival for the loss.

"Well it's served you so far." Fox frowned, finally finding Wolf on his tail once again.

Meanwhile, the others were having problems as well.  
"~I don't care _who_ you are! Don't think I forgot what you did on Sauria!~"  
Krystal's Arwing was being followed and also shot at by a Wolfen with a black rose decaled onto the right side of the hull.

"~Your words hurt Panther…~" another voice purred. The Wolfen with the Blackrose fired almost carelessly at the vixen's ship, as if he cared to leave her unscathed.  
"~Nature calls us—my love for you flows like amassed water, cascading away so that I cannot control myself…~"

"~You're insane!~"

"~Krystal, stop playing around! Just end this guy!~" Falco cut into the conversation

"~He doesn't know how wrong he is, he's just mad!~"

"~You're an Empath.~" Lance interjected. "~You can see he's just a rapist.~"

"~Quiet, monkey…~" purred the feline Casanova.  
Krystal quickly pulled out and coursed past another Wolfen, successfully tailing her former pursuer, launching a volley of fire in his direction.

"~Guys! I need backup here!~"  
Falco began having trouble of his own. No matter how skilled a pilot he was, there were two more aces tailing him: Leon and Star Wolf's newcomer. Either one of them would be a non-issue on their own, but combined, they were just enough to keep him on his toes.  
"~Shoot! He's right behind me!~"

The fighters flashed through the sky, illuminated in the sickly, pale green of Venom's atmosphere. Colors diluted, it was sometimes difficult to tell enemy from friend.

"~Kekeke…relax, Falco, we're feeling generous today…~" Hissed Leon over the communications.  
"~This won't hurt too much!~"

"~My comrades and I have a grudge against your troope…~" The Sharpclaw's Wolfen was noticeably much clumsier than the others  
"~And you will pay for your

"~Fox! Krystal! Help a guy out here!~"  
The bird zipped past Krystal, blasting off one of Panther's wings as he passed. The jungle cat roared and attempted to regain control of his Wolfen.

"Sorry, Falco, we're all tied up here!" Foxed yelled back.  
Even though Panther had just been distracted from Krystal, Wolf ditched Fox and went after Krystal to ensure no one finished Panther.

"~You're losing your touch, boyscouts.~" Wolf chuckled, arcing high upwards before falling back down from his somersault

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_This is ludicrous!_ Lance dashed past all officers he had been directing. Now that the admiral had ordered a ceasefire, he had no further business with the artillery group.  
_Maybe if we'd anticipated an extra hand on the team, we could have prepared for this._

He stepped onto the bridge, where Slippy now sat, finished coordinating between the cargo ships.  
"Lance! This is bad….at this rate they'll use up all their fuel in no time!"

"Wha…are you kidding me?" Lance scowled. "They just prepped before heading out there! What could they possibly have wasted it on?"

"It's Venom's gravity well…it's stronger than almost anywhere else in Lylat!" Slippy started punching in a bunch of commands on the console in front of him.  
"We filled them up, but that fight in the atmosphere, and then the escape…all those stunts they keep pulling are going to get them all killed!"

"Fine. I'm heading out there." He began marching off, before Slippy hopped up and jumped in front of him.  
"Hold on just a second there! It's way too dangerous!"

"Step aside, man, I can take it."  
He tried to push forward, but Slippy insisted.

"Let _me_ go! You still have a lot of training to do!" Both of them calmed down and stopped pushing.  
"Besides, if you used up your trump card right now, we'd cause just minimal damage!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Lance crossed his arms.  
No matter how skilled he was in everything else, he still had the disadvantage out in space.  
"Fine…I'll coordinate from here. You get out there and give 'em hell."

"Yyyeeeaaaah!" Slippy jumped up and waved a fist through the air.  
"Let's do it!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The battle waged on desperately. For the most part, the majority of the landing crew had escaped into the safety of the next sector, but a handful of fighters remained, their numbers slowly dwindling as the barrage of blue and red shot indiscriminately through space.

"Guys, that's it!" Fox shouted over the intercom. He blasted off at top speed as soon as he pulled out of a barrel roll.  
"We _need_ to pull out _now_ or we're really gonna get it!"

"~It can't end like this!~" Falco shouted out.  
At the moment, the two factions had broken off the chase, circling around and waiting to jump back into the game.  
"~We've never lost to these guys once!~"

"~He's right, Falco…we should leave while we still have the chance.~" Krystal zipped around the other two, relatively unharmed.  
"~We've stalled long enough for the others to escape, and now we need to look out for ourselves.~"

"~Are you three done blabbering yet?~" Wolf growled over the line. He was done with their little intermission.

"~You guys can run. I'm all over this!~" Falco threw on his boosters, dashing into battle, even with one wing missing.

"Guess we have no choice…he's toast without us out there."  
Open space was an awful place to risk failure; missing wings weren't an aerodynamic problem in Zero-G, but if much else were punctured, the Arwing's air supply would be rapidly sucked into space. Rather than use helmets attached to canisters, as in human warfare, the entire cockpit was linked to an air tank directly in front of the pilot's seat.

"~Fox, we aren't going to make it!~" Krystal was genuinely frightened at the prospect of heading into battle again. Regardless, they had no choice; the freighters were too far away to return unless they finished off their opponents.  
She followed closely behind him.  
"~Do we have a plan? I'm not seeing a positive future.~"

"Same as before. Spread out and pull into each other's flight paths whenever they try to tail us."

"~Well, guys, we mighta lost the big fish, but at least we got us a good consolation…~" The first Wolfen tilted and fell out of alignment with the rest of his crew before they scattered across the field.  
"~Now I can finally say that I beat our greatest threat in a fair fight. Heh…it's been real, Fox.~"

All four Wolfens almost immediately outmaneuvered the Arwings. Leon's maniacal laughter drowned out all other sound, as the echoing, whispering vacuum of the abyss creeped into Fox's mind. Shards of a ravaged spacecraft brushed his cockpit window as he seemingly drifted along, like a fish in a stream. Somewhere, he knew to himself that others were dying, and he wondered if he would suffer the same fate.  
Above him, through the wreckage, sneered the visage of a weathered, cyclopean foe, riding on wicked, scythe-like wings. Energy formed and pointed into a single blade of light, pointing at the throat of the war hero.  
_That's…it._ There were no frantic thoughts, no final regrets or wishes; just silence.

And suddenly, flashes of green illuminated the world in a great explosion.  
Snapping back to reality, Fox struggled to regain control of the situation, thrusting forward before pulling into a U-turn. Head whipping about frantically, Fox could only see a slowly expanding cloud of dust where he had once been.  
A quick glance down at the radar revealed that a fourth Arwing had entered the field.

_KSSSSHHHT_  
"~Hey, guys, didja miss me?~"

"Slippy!" Fox laughed out loud, almost shrilly. To say that he was relieved was a vast understatement.  
"Boy, am I glad to see you! Give us a hand here!"

"~Ready and willing, Bossman.~"  
Slippy's Arwing fell into line behind Fox's as both boosted towards Falco's position.  
Panther and Leon were making quick work of him; one of them split away after spotting the other two.

"~What is this? You're not supposed to be here!~" Leon uttered curses at the team, targeting the three closest targets with homing lasers.

"~No mercy!~" Slippy launched a single smart bomb, countering the malicious orbs and disrupting all vessels in the vicinity.  
It gave Fox enough time to chase down Panther, and Falco enough time to do the same to Leon, now uncontrollably plummeting back towards Venom.

"~When the going gets tough, the tough to running…~" Panther decided to run instead of fight, moving to retrieve something from Wolf's wreckage.  
"~All troops. Pull out; that's an order.~" The feline was apparently second in command, just behind Wolf. The two remaining fighters glided into a hangar bay on an approaching warship; another one picked up Leon's with a gravity tether.

"~Whew…!~" Falco drifted alongside the rest; Krystal joined them as they turned.  
"~Never thought mean-green here would be saving my tail. Thanks, Slip.~"

"~You know that's probably the first time he's ever said that to me?~"

"~Hate to piss in your cereal, guys, but you gotta get outta there now.~" Lance's apathetic voice broke the cheering.  
"~You're forgetting, they were only spearheading an advance from Venom. Unless you book it, you're gonna be captured and taken onboard. Do you guys want that?~"

"He's right, guys." Fox nodded. His heart was still pounding from all the excitement.  
"We've done all we were assigned for this round. Let's get away while we still have the fuel."

"~Prepped and ready to go.~" replied Falco.  
"~They got me, but I'm safe.~" Krystal reported.  
"~Well NOW I'm all worked up!~" whined Slippy.

"~No pickup? Good. We're regrouping at the McDougal Naval station in sector Z. Long as you're in that gravity well, everything will be harder on you. Now move out, boys and girls.~"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Geez, was that a setup or what?"  
Falco pounded a desk in a secluded war room. The squadron had convened with the Admiral leading the project, and General Pepper present on-screen. The room was circular, with visual panels surrounding the walls of the entire room, giving it the illusion of being on a tropical planet, visible from windows wrapping around the entire length.  
A large, circular desk in the middle corresponded with the shape, holding a seat for each member in the room.

"What setup? We just didn't know anyone was there." Fox retorted, scratching his muzzle.  
"Besides, we got the data we needed. If we can analyze it, maybe we'll find out whatever they're planning."

Lance cleared his throat loudly; he was reclined, rhythmically tapping the armrest beside him.  
"Well, that data pertains to Andross' legacy. That would only work if Oikonny wants to follow Andross' same tactics. And if he does, we don't even need to be here."

"What do you mean by that?" Pepper's visage leaned forwards.  
The Admiral, a Siberian husky, glanced across the room to two guards standing at the door.

"What do you mean, 'what do I mean?' Oikonny's a huge retard. He's only in this conflict because he wants to be a big bad villain just like his Uncle."  
He turned to Fox and nodded in respect.  
"So Fox here has a point; Andross' tactics and approach was the best. So we can anticipate that Oikonny _might_ go right for Macbeth first; it has Venomian history, and was the first planet to fall a decade ago. And he _might_ send a fleet through Area 6 and past Zoness. And he _might_ build another space station near Titania."

"You're suggesting we're unsure?" The husky narrowed his eyes, taking two steps forward.  
He was clearly offended, evidenced by his firm gaze and crossed arms.

"You're forgetting one thing." Lance sighed.  
"The planets aren't aligned according to Oikonny's 'plans'."

He smacked a button on the console in front of him, summoning two images: one was a map of Lylat the very week Andross launched his assault—the other, a map of Lylat today.  
Lance stood up, pointing to various points on the chart. "Had he waited to strike when he said he would….that is, two years from now…the planets would be close enough to their alignment as during the Venomian War, and then he'd be set to use Macbeth as a portal to the rest of the system. But now, he's most likely to strike…"

His finger skimmed from Macbeth a decade ago, to Sauria on the present map.  
"…here."

"_Sauria?_ What makes you think that?"  
Slippy rushed over to inspect the chart while Lance just paced away from the display, fiddling with the hem of his coat.

"Back when we were on Sauria, I remember seeing several Venomian vessels. And if you guys remember, Scales was Andross' lapdog for a time, granted that he got his hands on Venomian tech."

"So what you're saying is…because they still have ties with Venom, the Sharpclaw are an perfect opportunity to set up shop on another planet." Peppy, who had remained silent until just now, was pacing back and forth, pointing a finger skyward.

"That would also explain why they chose their new recruit." Krystal mused.

"Exactly." Lance nodded. "That was the same Sharpclaw who tried to hijack the Guardian down on Sauria."  
The image of a possessed Sharpclaw came to mind; the events were still a foggy mystery, even to the human.

"You'll have to tell me that in detail sometime." Pepper added.

"I can only give you crazy theories, General."  
'Fang,' as they learned she was named, had referred to Lance in several ways that indicated some knowledge of him. This, combined with the spontaneous help of the Krazoa Spirits was a mystery to all.

"Well, anyway…I get the feeling you'll get your answer soon."

"Lance, what does he mean?" Slippy hopped down from the desk, turning off the space charts.

"I already volunteered to stop the advance down on Sauria." He turned to salute Fox and the rest.  
"So it looks like I'm taking leave for a while."

"Whoa whoa wait…you two discussed this already?" Falco pointed to both Pepper and Lance.

"Well, yes, with me as well." Peppy nodded to the four mercenaries.  
"Since I'm an adviser, I recommended that Lance be separated from the rest of you. Your…_unusual_ chemistry and vastly different skill sets are holding both of you back from what you each can accomplish independent from, but affiliated with one another."

"Sauria is actually closest to Venom, but if that doesn't go over, they're also likely to attack Fortuna." Lance pointed to Fox.  
"Corneria has some kind of agreement with Sauria that forbids the presence of their military technology in the event of a war that doesn't involve them. Even though the Sharpclaw are involved, this is an independent decision, so we can't break the law. That's why they're sending me for operations."

Pepper turned to Fox. "Meanwhile, Fox, you, Krystal, and Slippy are going to handle things on Fortuna. We're hoping to reunite you with Bill Grey."

Fox's heart lept; he hadn't seen his friend in so long that he might actually look forward to this mission.  
"I noticed you didn't list Falco."

"We have a special offer for him…if he accepts, that is." Peppy brought up the space charts again, this time enlarging a terrestrial planet with rings.  
"Titania."

"Oh, great…" muttered the Avian.

"You're platoon was one of the few who actually penetrated one of Andross' facilities. We need someone with prior experience."

"Listen, that was so long ago, I don't even kno…"

"Let me finish, please." Peppy held up a hand. "We're giving you a partner."

"Oh?"

"I'm sure you know a Katt Monroe, hm?"

"Oh. Uh…"

He glanced around the room; all eyes were on him.  
"What are you guys staring at?"

"You don't have to answer right away, Falco." Peppy nodded, understanding his plight.  
"Anyway, you all have your assignments. If there are any further questions, we can talk in person later on."


	32. Chapter 32: Soldiers of Fortune

Chapter 32: Soldiers of Fortune

=====

The road ahead was going to be much harder than anyone had deemed possible.

The campaign was just beginning, and troops from all over the system were being ported to the front lines.  
Meanwhile, a lone vulpine packed and planned for the next step, stoic and contemplative. It had been years since his last tour with the Cornerian forces, and though he was well-trained for such a life, it would not be prudent to assume anyone would be ready for such a large scale counter attack.

A tattered photograph—a beaten memory—found its way into Fox's gloved hand. It was a young couple and their only child...their last legacy.  
_I wonder what Dad would say if he could see me now._

Fox stuffed the photo into his pocket, ready to move on to greater things. Outside, a serene, reflective light poured from the nearby planet, Macbeth, hanging in space like a giant sentinel.  
The hiss of a sliding door broke the silence, and Fox's gaze turned to Krystal's pleasant outline, gliding into the soft ambiance as the doorway sealed shut.

"Hi...Fox. Can I have a moment?" The troubled vixen rubbed one arm over the other in a comforting manner.

"Uh, sure." Standing over his cot, Fox hastily shoved his sparse knapsack behind him as he turned. Both hands were hidden behind him.  
"What's on your mind?"

"Um...I know you've felt very on edge, recently. Really, you haven't even been the same since the Cerinians left us." As she spoke, she closed the gap between them and grabbed his hands from behind him. The closeness sparked a primal fear in Fox's heart, yet it evoked a deeply rooted shame and hidden passion.

Naturally, she sensed every tiny change, and, taking his hands, guided him to sit on the bed beside her.

"I know you've been uneasy recently. You have reason to be. But this _isn't_ the enemy you or your father fought. This Oikonny lacks the cunning and ferocity of your true enemy. You don't have anything to worry about..."

"That's not it."

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm not worried about that." Fox withdrew his hands, eyes averted.

"Well...what _are_ you worried about?"

Fox took a long pauce before finally making grave eye contact. "It's you."

"What...? Me?" She was taken aback by the blunt statement.

"I'm not worried about your talent, but...these things..." he took a short pause. "No matter what your skill level...you can never be guaranteed. You know?"

Krystal's eyes glazed over, trying to think of something she may have done wrong. "Fox, I know this is my first real war, but...the point is that we're both soldiers for hire. This kind of thing is expected, right?"

"I don't know if you've noticed, but we're not exactly the most professional group around." Irrelevant, nonetheless a good argument.  
"My Father _was_ the best of the best, and look what happened to him."

"It's not because I'm a woman is it?"

"What? No!" he stammered. "That's not it at all. I mean...you're more than compitent, but..."

"Oh I see." She grinned confidently. Fox seemed to make little effort to conceal some other, more unrequited feelings. "Why can't you just be honest with me for once?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Fox, don't try to hide it. Every emotion, every cognitive function that ever passes through your head, passes through mine as well. I feel what you feel. I sense what you sense." she leaned closer, pushing him backwards. "What I feel every day from almost everyone I pass, you haven't the slightest inkling of how tiring it is, the way they all see me. But I felt it from you, first. And it was stronger than any of the impulses the rest of them felt."

Fox's brain was numb. He could think of no comeback, and almost gave up any and all attempts to do so. But his heart raced a mile a minute.

"Nothing?" she cooed. "I'll tell you: you don't want to see me go with the rest of you because you fear you'll never see me again." She had progressively inched closer to the vulpine every passing moment. Now that their snouts had barely—almost touched—she pulled away quickly, making towards the door, hips swishing rhythmically away.

"Fox, I know this is my first _real_ war, and quite seriously...I would never worry with a leader like you around."

"That's not the point. I just..." at last he spoke, just to halt again. "Yeah. That _is_ the point. But is that so selfish?"  
McCloud stood, fists clenched, emerald eyes determined.  
"I didn't save your life down on Sauria just so you could throw it away at my side."

Krystal hesitated by the door. Seconds passed and she turned back to walk to his side. "Maybe you rescued me for this purpose. Now I can return the favor a thousand fold."  
The coy vixen pecked at his cheek before darting off, leaving him alone.

The pilot felt lighter than air, but his surprised demeanor shortly reverted to a pleasant grin.  
"We'll see, beautiful. We'll see."

===

"Naw, just weld it on over there. We can't put that thing on the shoulders or it'll limit too much movement. Wouldn't even be able to lift your arms up." Lance was perched on a short stepping ladder over what appeared to be a mechanical body covered in black, sheen muscle tissue. The spewing sounds of sparks and flames were drowned out by the blasting music in the background.

"You _can't_ do that or you'll just hinder chest-arm movement!" Slippy stood on the other side, also donning a makeshift welding mask. The two of them toiled away in the Great Fox's workshop, hard at work on one of their newest collaborations.

"Trust me, it's shaped perfectly, I planned it out, I know the weak points—I know what I'm doing."

"What, like that last 'flying cape' of yours?"

"GLIDING cloak, Slipman. Mobility and stealth in urban and close quarter environments would be dominated with something like that. We get an even better advantage with this baby here."

"Yeah, 'cuz you've done SO well so far."

"Man, you talk a lot of shit now." he chuckled.

"It's all thanks to you, buddy." It's true that he'd changed a lot in the months since the discovery of Homo-Sapien. The other teammates had attributed Slippy's newfound confidence in Lance's influence above all else; he was, after all, initially the only one to truly respect the toad for his technical talents.  
"Hey, hand me that star wrench."

Lance reached into a levitating toolbox—aglow at the base—and tossed an object to the green fellow.  
Before it could reach its destination, another hand leaped out to grasp it.

"Quite the busy bee, aren't you now?" Ursa spun around the tool Lance had just tossed, before handing it over to Slippy. Tora wasn't far behind.  
"And what in the name of God is that music?"

Lance clapped his hands twice, and the music stopped. "Old human music I recreated. Called Hip-Hop."

"Ursa? Tora?" Slippy quickly lifted his mask and set down his tools. "Well, Lance, this is quite a surprise. I didn't know your butt-buddies were h—OW, F—"

The human responded with a horrific punch to the shoulder just before the mechanic could finish.  
"They insisted they should have a role in the counterattack. I put in a good word for the both of 'em."

"After the fight we put up against the Cerinians, it oughtta be a no-brainer." Tora nodded, folding his hands in front of him.  
He was serious as always.  
"So we're here to show 'em how it's done."

"At first we wanted to tag along to Sauria with our favorite _monkey_ over here," Ursa rolled a massive bear arm around Lance's shoulders, nearly weighing him down by a foot.  
"But when I heard they were sending Falco AND Katt off to Titania, we just couldn't resist getting the old gang back together."

"Speaking of which, we got you guys an early birthday present." Slippy slapped one of the robotic machines on the behind.  
"With Human innovation and Cornerian tech, we came up with these _Nanosuits_ for your on-foot missions."

"They WERE a cool idea back home until some dumbass video game fucked it all up and turned the professional world off to the idea," added Lance. "Basically the suit's spine and yours connect to a second set of muscles—seen here." He jabbed a wrench at all the black strips which consisted most of the suit. "Carbon nanofibers held together by all this metal stuff over here. Mimics the skeletal and muscular systems."

Tora snorted. "Why do we need these, again?"

"Because you guys'll be **gods among men** if you ever go on-foot. Since Titania's your first stop, you'll be using them a lot." Just a foot or two away stood a console, wired to the helmet's temple. Slippy was now clicking away some kind of program at a holographic keyboard. "Lucky for you they're heat-friendly."

"And to top it all off you got an advanced computer in the helmet, a bunch of different types of vision, and an oxygen mask just to top it all off. Oh...and you can handle all kinds of those heavy weapons we we've been developing for a while." Lance stood back to admire their creation. "You're basically Superman."

"Plus there's the optional cloaks or reflectors, depending on the situation. _My_ idea."

"Thanks, Slip." Ursa walked a short circle around one suit, slightly larger than the other. "Custom fit, too."

"Ain't nuthin' I can't build." He grinned.

"So is this battle ready?" Tora lifted the helmet on the smaller suit; it was shaped to his own head proportions.

"We tested it already. A lot." Slippy turned his attention away from the console for a moment enough to nod towards the training room. "The software is fine and the materials can stand up to punishment you wouldn't believe. Only thing we gotta do is finish the installation here, but anyhey, by the time you leave it'll be shipped by the same carrier you guys'll be on."

"Hope you've been doing that special training I told you about." Lance raised a hand. "Without it, this armor is just gonna crush you or shock you."

"We have, and I'm sure it'll come in handy," murmured Ursa, "but that's not what we came to talk to you about." He took the helmet from Tora's hands and perched it on the armor's shoulders.  
"Listen, do you think it's a good idea to split up like this? I mean, mercenaries are always focused in on one area at a time before moving on, right?"

"Planet hopping." Added Tora, insightful as always.

"Wait...whaddya mean?" Slippy had begun to upload the program from earlier. "It was mainly Fox and Peppy who decided we split up, that's why."

"Yeah, but...something's wrong here." The giant frowned. "Venom is exposed right now. Why bother pushing them back when we can just take the King down right now?"

Lance's reply was blunt. "Because we can't just go out and reach the base where Oikonny is seated. Look, Venom is stuck in synchronous orbit with Solar, right? The heart of Venom is on the _other_ side of the planet. That's literally THE outside of the Lylat System."

"We'd have to somehow fly in a huge circular path to reach it while avoiding the other bases, dumbass." Tora punched his partner in the arm. "I've told you this before."

"That's a load of hogwash. _This guy over here..._" pointing to Lance... "...already said that we do everything the same way over time, right? And if it works, why fix it? What if it's like the Katinian Revolution? There could be a revolution from the seat of the government itself!"

"Look. Ursa." Lance reclined over a lounge chair, hands folded, feet up. "There are things going on that no one understands right now. No one." His voice fell to a grim baritone, and the ambience cast a sinister shadow over his eyes and lower face.  
"All we know is that Venom is unimportant. Two of these three worlds...this is where it's at right now."

"Wh...what?" The bear was incredulous. "Venom...unimportant?"

"Irrelevant."

"How can you say that!? They've been the source of endless civil wars for decades, and you play it off just like that? You have no idea the manpower we're risking here."

"No offense, but you aren't too aware of what's _really_ happening here." Lance looked as though he may as well have been the king of darkness the way he was throned. His stoic face remained as cold and consistent as his voice.  
"Venom will fall. And it will fall very fast. Its inhabitants will suffer a slow demise thanks to a series of very specialized weapons I have **personally** created."

Slippy felt the gaze of the guests, but just shook his head; he knew nothing of what Lance had just revealed...at least regarding this special armory.

"That's right. Venom is the little kid on the block. This time _we're_ the bully in this sandbox. Why else would they send all their best soldiers to Sauria, AND Titania, and leave Fortuna to the masses of amateurs? Not to mention an unguarded homeworld."

No response was uttered from Ursa's blank mug. "...that's not something they told us..."

"No. I told everyone we need to play it cool this time. For whatever reason, they want something on Titania or Sauria." The image of Lucky 7's mechanical Guardian came to mind, along with six powerful Krazoa spirits. "No one knows for sure what it is, but whatever they want, we can't allow them to have it."

"So why are they just sending you?"

There was an even longer pause, before Lance tilted his head ever so slightly that his left eye and adjacent scar passed into light. "I've been given authority to wage unrestricted subversive warfare on any and all enemies of the Republic."

Tora was the only one who smiled at the idea, yet he remained as silent as the others.

"I will personally see to it that Venom suffers a fate such as no man has ever experienced before."  
He clapped his hands twice again, and the music began again at mid flow, heavy rhythmn and savage vocals:

_...what'choo startin' for? Is your heart for war? Trife assassins, bringin' you the art of war..._

=====

"Are we set?"

Loudspeakers blasted a typical drill-seargent-esque voice loud enough to break open everyone's heads.  
The hangar bay was bustling with all kinds of machinery and small vessels shifting relentlessly, all preparing for takeoff. They weren't even close to being done; seven more passengers—the entire Starfox team, plus Lance, Ursa and Tora—marched out onto the docks, taking their place next to five Arwings and two modified ships.  
"They send you guys through briefing yet?" A jittery canine rushed up to the group with a dataslate. Fox saluted and nodded.

"Lieutenant. General Pepper himself had issued orders to us nearly 36 hours ago. Myself and two of my fellows are scheduled to depart to the Great Fox. Advisor Peppy Hare awaits us there."

"Names?" he began scrawling away on the sheet of glass as lights and text appeared on his side.

"Fox McCloud, commander. Provisional citizen Krystal—no surname. Slippy Toad, Engineer."

"Mugshot verified. You're clear to go ahead."

"Thank you, sir."

"You'll be leaving in about five minutes. You'll hear your launch code on the loudspeakers." He darted off to the next group, who also exchanged titles.

When all was said and done, Fox began shaking hands with those with whom he would part ways.  
"You know, I don't think I could have put my trust in more capable hands." Ursa and Tora were the first...new friends, longtime allies.  
"Guess I'll see you on the other side, right?"

"Don't bother cozying up to these mooks." Falco crossed his arms when offered Fox's hand. "We could take on the Hoard without them."  
Apparently, "hoard" was the new nickname for Oikonny's army.

"You're just mad 'cuz we've got the big dogs, eh Falco?" Slippy crossed his arms in mockery of his longstanding 'bully.'

"I'm mad because I have to waste more time with the last people I thought I'd ever be working with again." the Avian sneered sarcastically to his cohorts.  
"Wish I was in the air. That's show 'em who's boss."

"You'll get your chance." Tora frowned at him. "The mission dictates you're needed as air-support _and_ logistics. As a Spotter."

"Swell. Now I'm a babysitter." Falco shrugged, arms still crossed.  
"Anywho, sucks I couldn't be up there with you guys, huh Fox?"

"Sucks." He agreed.

"Hey, Krystal, don't let this guy cozy up too much." Ursa nudged Fox with his elbow. Both foxes reacted with equally awkward glances.  
"Lookit that! A regular _Caruso_ he is."

"So what are you guys gonna look for?" Slippy addressed the gargantuan bear.

"Who knows? sight-see. Check a few old bases. Kick some Venomian ass. Do whatever it takes, I guess." He folded his hands above his head.

"Hopefully we'll get to test run the tools you and Lance made us." mused the tiger. "I'd hate to put it to waste...personally, I wanna expand my repotoire a little."

"Don't sweat it. I couldn't make too much use of it anyway." The human tilted his head; loud popping erupted from his neck.

"Speaking of which..." Falco, always the critic, turned to Lance. "what's _your_ monkey ass doing down on that backwater world, anyway?"

"If I told you that..." He flashed a suave grin. "...I'm afraid I'd have to kill you."  
Ever professional, he wanted to exchange no more words and simply turned away to board his own Arwing.

"What? No goodbyes?" Krystal shouted after him.

"You guys are too tough to die. I'll see you when I see you." He climbed a set of steps and hopped into his Arwing, which...as the others had noted...was decidedly unique from the rest.

"Hey...did anyone else notice what that guy did to his ship?" Tora turned fully to examine the now wider looking frame of what appeared to have once been an Arwing.

"I saw it earlier...figured it was just a regular fighter craft." Falco snorted, blatantly jabbing a finger into the side of his beak. "Dunno what that dumbass is cooking up now."

"He says it's a surprise." Slippy grinned. Judging by the smug look on his face, he obviously knew more about it than anyone else did. But he didn't let on.  
"What I CAN say...is we've dubbed it the Arwing Mark II. His is the 'Castaway,' mine would be the Bullfrog, of course."

"Only advantage I can see to that thing is more bombs." Fox frowned. "But it's bound to have weaker lasers, so what gives?"

"Yes, and I can't say I would be confident with the speed that vessel most likely has," commented Krystal. If she was concerned, she surely masked it well.

"Don't worry. This thing'll revolutionize warfare." Slippy crossed his arms. "It's actually the only nonviolent weapon I've ever seen him create. Just don't expect him to make use of it until after he's back in the civilized world."  
That may have been the big clue right there.

Once again, everyone passed on generous farewells and other excessive parting words. Lance Callahan was the first of them to go. His 'Castaway' left without a sound, much to everyone's surprise. Falco, Ursa and Tora departed to board another nearby ship to Titania.

The classic members were the last to go.

"Fox McCloud. Ready for launch."

"Krystal here. Ready for launch."

"Slippy Toad. NOT ready."

"Oh God, what now?"

"Take care of the guy behind me, Fox!"

"...what the hell are you doing?"

"Thanks, Fox! I thought they had me!"

"Now isn't the time for joking around! This isn't even our ship..."

"Whoa! Help me!"

"Slippy!"

"Alright, alright, geez...can't take a joke anymore?"

A distant slapping sound became audible. It was probably Fox's hand on his forehead."Status report."  
Krystal giggled.

"Slippy Toad here, ready for launch or whatever."

"Peppy, this is Fox. Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear. You guys are clear for landing. Seems I'm about 600 miles off by now. Forwarding coordinates."

"Should be there in ten minutes tops. We'll be taking the scenic route."

"Do as you will. Peppy out."

The engines powered up, superheating the air before all three blasted off in formation.  
In traditional Starfox-style fanfare, a new battle had begun.


	33. Chapter 33: Planet Hopping

Chapter 33: Planet Hopping

=====

A lone aircraft glided through skies thick with rain clouds, emitting nothing louder than a low hum, and nothing brighter than the soft blue of the glowing thrusters on the tail end. Pitch black, reflective, and shaped like a scimitar, the craft scouted the thick jungle below, spotting out any terrain where it could drop off its human cargo. Eventually it stopped above a clearing, turning its thrusters downward to ensure it remained in place. A hatch opened up top, and the Blackhearted Hero emerged from the hole, lightly clothed and carrying a surprisingly small duffel bag. Without hesitation, he leaped off the side of the craft, whereupon it immediately turned its nose towards the sky and began floating off as silently as it had entered.  
Meanwhile, a spherical force field surrounded the human, crackling with blue light. As it hummed and clicked, his descent was greatly slowed, and it began to flash and disappear as he landed kneeling on the ground.

It was only one of many new gadgets he and Slippy had collaborated on. Heavily based on the same technology found in standard Cornerian crafts' "G-diffuser" systems, Lance commissioned the team's amphibious engineer to build something he could use to the same effect as a parachute. However, the applications extended beyond drop zone capabilities; since it weakened gravity, he would be able to use it to jump higher or farther, and in some cases, to float.  
His mind jumped at the possibilities.

In fact, nearly everything he was carrying was custom-made; a large portion of his boots were composed of a tight carbon-weave, to ensure flexibility and maximum strength. The cargo pants he wore were also specifically meant to compliment his footwear; instead of blousing, they sealed directly at the top of the boots where the material met the calves to ensure no dirt, rocks or other foreign objects would be stuck inside. The trousers held two cargo pockets on each side, two on the thighs—both meant for carrying a number of spare clips—and two below the knees and away from the center. There was also a built-in holster above the right knee for a firearm he had _personally_ designed for any future missions he might take on. And instead of the typical blouse with an impact or ballistic vest, he vouched for a form-fitting top, again made of the same carbon-weave. Over this he wore a simple tactical vest, housing a single knife on the right breast, and a holster just underneath the left. He also had two taser gloves, each one missing a middle and ring finger, flashing metallic studs on each line of knuckles, and carrying a small battery pack on the exterior wrist. He had intended the right to utilize a direct current—causing explosive and lethal force—while the left wold conduct alternating current for stunning adversaries.  
The last piece of equipment he wore was a modification of the tool Fox wore on his forearm; the nigh-universal comm-device was now adapted into a pair of bright yellow shades he was now wearing. The color itself would make night vision smoother, while a complex system of circuitry could keep him connected with the outside world, ensuring a constant flow of whatever information he might need.  
The entire getup was black, with several dark green segments throughout; no use using actual camouflage on a world predominantly occupied by creatures who sense heat, and the Venomians who walked these grounds would be using similar visors which would only depict one color with many shades.

Sparing only a moment to glance around, the newly appointed "Black Op" of the team prodded at the side of his goggles once, prompting a heads-up display to dance across the lenses.

There were no large lifeforms nearby, and an objective marker pointed him to the south towards Thorntail hollow, where a majority of the Venomian command were encamped.

Once the royal seat of a cardinal tribe of Saurians, the Thorntails were presumably either dead or imprisoned somewhere, while the region was no occupied mostly by whatever forces Oikonny had sent here, and a number of leftover Sharpclaw.

Wasting no time, Lance took off jogging, only occasionally stopping to survey his surroundings again. Every so often, he would pick up a large rodent, but nothing sapient.  
_Mother nature sucks,_ he thought to himself. Then he laughed at his own scorn. There was a reason he was called the "Urban" Soldier at large; he had never bothered preparing for any natural environment until just recently, since there had never been the necessity. Granted, he had gained knowledge in passing, regarding survival and infiltration through such surroundings, but never had he focused on such skills.

Nonetheless, it had already been decided that Sauria needed to be taken care of, and Venom clearly had superior air power set up—but not on Sauria, for reasons Lance could only assume related to the terrain. Instead, many of the facilities on Sauria seemed to _fear_ air power, if anything: surveillance had revealed an intimidating number of anti-air cannons, small aircraft, and monitoring towers built _just_ for aerial operations, so the presence of some form of infantry, and mostly logistics, security and other personnel was imperative.  
Though never formally trained, this was something for which Lance was infamous...he was the obvious choice.  
"Anyone else might have gotten it wrong," he had said.

Theories buzzed around in his head as to why the SharpClaw would continue to trust outside forces again after having failed to deliver on their promises of supremacy, especially the same affiliation who took their favor during the Saurian incident almost a year ago. And yet here they were...tense, but cooperative.  
_Maybe I can use this to my advantage._

For a moment he began scheming on ways he could exploit this tension. If he was lucky it would be as simple as stealing and planting supplies from both factions, keeping whatever he might need as a bonus.  
_No...spying only. At least for now. Can't be actively disrupting any operations yet._  
In spite of his urges, the vigilante knew that acting too early could change everything, or that it might even tip someone off to his presence. However, he still took pleasure in the thought that he could set the installation up for failure in the future. If he could find a way to sabotage their ground defenses, that would open the camp up to an air strike they clearly feared so desperately.

Several of these statistics were confirmed once Lance came to a man-made clearing, occupied by a giant particle cannon situated just on top of the river.  
_So I can assume they're using the river here._ As he recounted, one of the many conversations he had with the likes of Slippy Toad, Lucy Hare and other such minds, there were many ways of creating energy weapons, one of the earliest and most primitive of which included using the hydrogen in water to factor into a less concentrated beam of energy. It was effective at a fair range, and didn't require too much precision, and only relied on surrounding natural resources to fuel its destructive power.

Upon further observation, Lance realized that the river was also man-made; God doesn't build in straight lines, and this river was definitely far too consistent in measurements and linearity to be natural. It might have also served as a barrier and an unofficial perimeter, beyond which rested several ground troops, fairly spread out and each one at least twenty yards away from his position.  
Lance counted six personnel, two Sharpclaw and four Lylateans, several of which were poorly hidden in the shrubbery.  
_Two engineers, one communication, two security...last one...unknown. I'll mark this one for later. Maybe I can mess with the artillery here—either sabotage it or cause some friendly fire._

Only later on would he implement it. For now, he decided to move upstream...if all else failed, he could cut off their water supply; no hydrogen, no boom. Besides, it might lead him to the heart of the camp.

"?"  
There was something on his HUD—possibly a sapient lifeform, judging by the size of the reading, but it had popped up out of the blue, and disappeared seconds later.  
_That's unusual. Is this thing glitching out? Can't be._

He ensured that he was well-hidden before he stopped to wait for the reading showed up again; two full minutes later, it did, a good half a mile away from the river bank where Lance now crept, seemingly approaching the camp. Again, it dropped off the radar, only to reappear a kilometer down the bank seconds later.  
_The hell is going on?_

If he had to hazard a guess, it might be a scout, or several personnel with some kind of equipment that kept interfering with his visor's radar. The latter was the most likely explanation, but if that was the case, why was he only getting one phantom reading at a time?

For now he would have to move more cautiously, only waiting for this specter to appear a great distance before moving on. He would also rely on old fashion methods in addition to his visor; with this in mind, he slipped his knife out of its sheath, jamming it into the ground and kneeling towards it, ear near the hilt, hands cupped. It was the same technique he used when he first landed in the Krazoa Palace to avoid Star Fox and Star Wolf.

At first, he observed exactly what his radar told him; there were several guards evenly spread out in pairs just beyond the perimeter, with the even more widely spread cannons, but no sign of faulty readings. Once or twice, he felt sudden vibrations in the distance, only to halt and start up in another location...correlating with his visor's readings.

_Looks like we've got a live one._

Whatever the reason, there was clearly at least one individual among this unit who had the capability to travel great distances in seconds with impunity, undetected.  
Such an ability immediately put this base at the top of Lance's priority list. _Never ask why; start asking "how."_ If nothing else, he wanted to get his hands on whatever technique or technology that enabled this soldier.

He recorded the information on his HUD, intending to forward it to Slippy once the data wasn't at risk of being intercepted.  
With the reading at rest a good distance behind him, he pushed forward, evaluating how he would sneak past the guards. If he were near the SharpClaw, they would easily spot him due to body heat, but if he were near the Venomian persuasion, he would have a much harder time remaining inaudible. Taking this into account, he pulled another page from his playbook and slipped into the river, moving downstream, slightly closer to where he had started off, waiting for himself to cool off a little bit. Even though it wouldn't drop his core temperature, he would at least 'appear' to be much colder than he really was, enough to blend in with the rest of the heat signatures scattered around the jungle.

Just to be safe, he emerged behind a thicket, slinking past the guards without any trouble.  
As soon as he passed, however, he spotted two very well-guarded back to back fences, which were clearly more heavily invested than the outermost barrier. It would be problematic, considering the low humming he was hearing from the fence—it was clearly pulsing with enough electricity to fry him to a crisp. He was standing about thirty yards away from a checkpoint in the fence, occupied by four guards, two SharpClaw and two Venomian. _Wonderful. NOW the Lylateans decide to get smart._

Beyond the fence, he could see almost everything. But the scope of the occupation was a great surprise; he had been informed that the only unit aside from security and artillery was a small company, only four platoons, by what he had been informed.  
They were shamefully wrong; it was at least two or three battalions, judging by the number of structures erected in the 'camp,' not even counting the manpower required to maintain the primitive transport aircraft scattered about. There were at least a couple thousand troops here.

And he very much **hated** surprises.

But this _small_ tidbit was also enough to inform him of the obvious: ThornTail Hollow was the most common gateway to the Krazoa Palace, and due to the number of mercenaries occupying the region, they were here for something very important.  
They were either here for the Krazoa...for the third time...or they were here for the Guardian Lance had brought with him from Earth.

At any rate, it would be greatly beneficial to eliminate this camp...no, this base...as quickly as possible. Utilizing the visor's binocular feature, he could observe at least a squad of Venomian mercenaries fully suited up for flight, all marching towards a transport craft which was warming its engines.  
_Okay...I can handle that once I get to the palace, but I'm gonna have to take care of everything here first._

Lance was grateful that his orders were obscure enough for him to accomplish what he needed without any restraints. The General's exact words were "Handle whatever they have going on down there." To be fair, General Pepper _had_ told him to spare as many lives as possible, but to Lance's credit, he wasn't even a part of the Cornerian Armed Forces, though the Brass would like to think otherwise.  
Regardless, he respected his contract since he was now affiliated with Star Fox...and therefore in _service_ to the CAF. But was it absolutely necessary that the good General know the exact kill count? After all, he had paid Fox McCloud according to the number of kills he had made during the Lylat Wars almost a decade ago. A few more heads couldn't possibly make a big difference, right?

Of course not.

But what they hadn't addressed was the SharpClaw heir who had appeared in leagues with the Star Wolf team. As far as the brass was concerned, Venom was manipulating the Saurians, but the SharpClaw may have some kind of leverage that allowed them such lofty positions. Worse yet, no one knew very much about the Krazoa except many of the Saurian tribes' highest rulers and priests. If the Krazoa were the new alliance's targets, that meant that Callahan would be required to gain intel from the Saurian allies as well as the Venom-SharpClaw axis.  
But such activities would also go well against the CAF's code of justice.

Illogical. Inefficient. Two things the human hated.  
They were both fearful and in denial, and they were making their jobs much more difficult than they needed to be.

While he would have loved to snipe a few troops, his tactical mind began formulating a plan, and he instead decided to double back to the nearest particle cannon, no more than 50 yards behind him.  
Once he arrived, he quickly climbed into a tree—a reasonable distance out of sight—and pulled out a length of paracord and tied a firm noose with one end. After he finished this, he simply began to watch. Surely they would have to make regular check-ins, and after about twelve minutes of waiting, he noticed a brown toad pick up a transmitter and croak out a status report.  
"Echo post, this is Staff Sergeant Gill—situation is normal. Returning to duties." Short and sweet. He unceremoniously threw the transmitter back into the main console and grunted, slumping down against the outer shell.

After hearing this, Lance began rustling about, making as much noise as he could with just the trees. As expected, a large number of birds flew away, catching the attention of two of the guards. He couldn't hear their squabbling, but the engineer insisted they go see what the fuss was about. As the pair inched closer, he could make out complaints of wildlife just before they split up and began to sweep the area. After several minutes of silence, one of the two finally neared Lance's perch, keeping his helmet trained on the ground for whatever beast might have lunged at him.

_Gotcha._  
Using this opportunity, Lance dropped the noose over one side of the branch, landing squarely around the mercenary's neck. He gaped stupidly at the surprise, but had no chance to react before Lance dropped off the other side of the branch, using it as leverage to hoist the thrashing soldier into the air. He was motionless in seconds.

"Vicks? VICKS, where are you, you dumb bastard?"

The other guard—this one without a helmet—was quickly approaching, and Lance released the chord. The first guard's body hit the ground with a thud, and the movement was enough to draw the second one's attention.  
"What the f—" he had no chance to stop and mourn his comrade; the human swept behind him, throwing a hand over his mouth and jamming his knife directly into the back of his neck. It was a quick death, and he set him down cautiously.

Taking only a few minutes to remove their gear, Lance stashed his own equipment next to the corpses, outfitting himself in their armor. While doing so, he noticed the distinctive floral insignia on the dark red chestplate; these were Sargasso space pirates, ie, Wolf O'Donnell's men. _Note to self: after saving Sauria, claim the Sargasso region._

He picked up the guard's blaster, threw on his helmet, and began jogging towards the spot where the cannon was located. When he emerged from the thicket, he wasted no time searching for the Toad who had access to communication.  
And his "comrades" wasted no time scolding him. The two SharpClaw were the first.

"Nxoho noho 0ei? 0ei keeb je cedw A kxeiwxk A neict wok ec..." Lance, still wearing the guard's helmet, pushed past the SharpClaw and thrust the muzzle of the blaster into the Toad's throat, and immediately turning to pound the butt of the rifle into the alarmed engineer's jaw. Both victims crumpled to the ground, and the two lizards promptly began to rush him. The first one pulled out what appeared to be a machete, driving it downwards towards the Human's head. Lance immediately sidestepped to his outside—away from the other SharpClaw—throwing its wielder to the ground while disarming him. Blade in hand, he whirled around the second Saurian's attack, driving the splitting edge directly into the side of his neck, exposed by his wild swing. The victim dropped to the ground, spluttering blood from the gash in his jugular. The first came back around, now holding a club, winding up for another swing, but Lance simply met his attack with another head-on swing.

The blade rose upward to meet the SharpClaw's downward stroke, narrowly coming under his own attack. The edge swiftly cut through his wrist, and his club—and dismembered hand—flew away from the startled assailant. In the same movement, Lance drove the blade back downward slicing through his throat. The final movement was executed before the target could react, finding his own machete buried in his heart. He dropped to the ground, and Lance doubled back to retrieve his gear before operating on the console.

_This should come in handy._

===

"Where are we?"

"We're within launch range of Macbeth. We should be on the ground in minutes, whenever you're ready to take off in the Arwings."

"Hm." Fox turned shoulder and glanced through the window on the observation deck. A brilliant glow poured into the room, reflected from the surface of the sunlit half of the nearby garden planet. They were so close that the great rock expanded far out of view in all directions. Since they were in orbit, he could faintly make out the lights of multiple cities on the surface of the half now engulfed in the night.

"Something's bothering you." Two long rabbit ears turned attentively along with the accompanied voice. Peppy stepped to Fox's side to join his stargazing, folding his hands behind his back.

"A system in duress. A conflict of interest onboard this very ship. An unguarded homeworld. An unexpected return from a legacy I hoped we'd destroyed." His arms were crossed, and his expression didn't waver once as he spoke. "And **two**potential loose-cannons running around unsupervised."

"By 'loose-cannons,' I'm assuming you're referring to Falco and Lance?"

"Yeah, but that's not my main concern. I know they're both gonna cause me a lot of headache, but they'll get their jobs done."

"It's the conflict of interest, then. Krystal." Peppy pushed his small eyeglasses upwards. "You fear endangering her. No...it's something else."

The leader carefully calculated his words before answering that question. "I _do_ fear for her safety, but I trust her ability. It's more a question of...an unprofessional relationship. I'm more afraid of tearing the team apart."

"I see." the old hare's eyes remained trained on the planet in front of them. "She seems determined to pursue you."

"I realize that, but where is that gonna lead?" Fox turned his head ever so slightly, as if to feign turning his gaze to his mentor. He was flustered and embarrassed to talk about it, but he was feigning confidence. "It's not like...not like I don't feel the same way, but it's...I guess...it would just be way easier if she—or maybe both of us—just quit this life."

Peppy's eyes turned to meet those of his protege, only to find his gaze ignored. "You're finally getting tired of the life."

For a moment, there was no response. But finally, Fox acknowledged his inquiry with a solemn nod.  
"I appreciate...the glory. The memories, the...pride."  
He lifted his head as if caressed by a soft breeze. Memories of applause from legions of adoring fans, visions of war medals, airshows and confetti...the streets filled with thousands of marching feet and singing mouths...all came flooding back to him. The sensation transcended all definition.

He had been a hero. An exalted legend.

"I feel like I should be settling down. I know it's early. I'm only twenty-seven, but I think that if I stay in this business too long, there won't be anything left to return to. I've played hero long enough—after meeting Lance, this just...doesn't feel the same."

There it was again. That human influence that seemed to be on everyone's mind nowadays.

"I understand. Even though this is the life I chose, it might not be for everyone." Peppy turned back forward once he concluded that Fox couldn't look him in the eyes.  
"When the time comes, though, will you really be able to leave it all behind?"

"Maybe. Or maybe not." Fox uncrossed his arms and slowly turned towards the door. "Not everyone will want to leave, but we'll all inevitably part ways if I remain indecisive like this."  
It must have been the weight of leadership. Even though he cherished the glory, the memories, the accomplishment...everything fell to his shoulders. The success, the failure. All eyes were on him, they looked to him. It was easy for him to doubt himself, in spite of the confident visage the rest of the world saw. Such a struggle was repeated over and over again throughout history and fiction, yet few could ever understand the smothering dread that such leaders experienced...the fear of failure. The fear of rejection from all loved ones. The fear that a single mistake can launch a crisis.

"Sometimes, I wish I could be a rogue like Lance."

"It's not in your nature." His elder argued. "You both have different ways of retaliating for the ones you love. Yours is to command them."  
Peppy turned to follow the vulpine. They could have dwelled more on the subject, but neither one had judged that the subject was worth the pursuit.

They met up in the bridge, where Krystal was playing around with a display while Slippy was similarly fiddling around with a map interface, fingers dancing across the lights as if orchestrating a symphony of light.

"Hey, Slip. Where's Falco?" Peppy took a quick glance to the hologram, and back to the diminutive amphibian.

"Already took his Arwing. On his way to the biggest sandbox in Lylat." He was all business today, very focused on something.

"I see. I thought we could catch him before he left."

"You know how he is. Comes and leaves as he pleases."

"What a shame." Peppy smiled, ever so slightly...ever so pleasantly. "I miss the days when we all worked as a team."

"Yeah. Sure. Me always getting in the way. You guys, giving me guff. I like it better this way." Slippy frowned, clearly distracted from his job.  
"Hey, no offense, but you're kinda cramping my style right now. Lotsa work to do. Lotsa projects to finish."

"Projects? Aren't we about to head to the surface?"

"If by 'we,' you mean you guys go down while I stay up here, then yes. "We" ARE about to head to the surface."

"You can handle those projects later. We're all prepared right now, and I'm staying here as your spotter."

"Fine. Lemme finish this last thing. You'll thank me later."  
Peppy said no more.

The two vulpines were likewise preoccupied. "Hello, Fox. I was just reading up on our resources."

"Our resources? Do you guys know something I don't?"

The vixen glanced coyly over her shoulder. "Oh~? You mean you didn't know~? The General is requesting that we train and command a special task force on Macbeth."

Fox and Peppy glanced at each other with their best poker faces.  
The elder responded, "He's changing our orders?"  
Having understood Fox's trepidation towards his own leadership, this was now his primary concern. Leading a small band of heroes was enough. Now he would be responsible for anywhere close to a platoon to a battalion of lives...and however many would perish. It might not destroy him, but he had no doubts it would take its toll.

"Yes. But I'm sure he has his reasons." Clearly she sensed their fear, since she backed off a little bit. "He seemed to place special emphasis on training his personnel to be as effective as we are."

"So this is just a training mission? That can't be it." Fox closed off, both physically and mentally. "Our talents would be wasted on something that he could have thought of during peacetime. We could be attacking Venom right now."

"Now _that_ would be suicide." she replied.

"No...I understand. We're training them to follow us into Venom, aren't we?" His eyes narrowed. Lance had theorized that Titania and Sauria hid secrets the Venomian forces wanted badly enough to leave their own planet weakened. Even so, an immediate fight against Venom would be borderline suicidal. Not only would they have to stockpile enough fuel to reach their destination, they would also have to fight through the flotilla still patrolling the area. The fight on Venom itself might have been a decisive battle, but getting there was the hard part.  
Fox now believed that in lieu of this fact, the Cornerian Forces couldn't resist the opportunity to end the war swiftly and decisively. They were surely preparing a legion of pilots to fight just like Star Fox.

He didn't need her confirmation, but her silence spoke loudly. Their commissioners probably wouldn't have told them this fact outright, but it stood to reason that it would be on their minds. Surely that was their mission.

In silent fury, he turned tail and strode briskly out of the room. "Get everyone together. We leave in ten."

= = = = =

"So they're launching a trident strategy, huh? That gives us enough breathing room to do our thing." Wolf O'Donnell, infamous smuggler and bounty hunter—not to mention the leader of the mercenary group known as Star Wolf, and, most recently, overseer of the Sargasso region.  
He and his group were currently seated around a large console, projecting the image of the Lylat system in blow, lines tracing from one planet to the next to indicate the positions and movements of both sides. The three most prominent paths, outlined in blue, ended up at Titania, Sauria and Macbeth.  
Dim, crimson light filled the dark room in which they conspired, casting sinister shadows on each corner of this riven dreadnought. It was far from glorious, but if nothing else, it was utilitarian.

"A three front war. How futile," purred the one known as Panther Caruso, stretched lazily over his seat, stroked his jawline thoughtfully. "Panther thinks we should attack the homeworld first. It has been left unguarded...a lonely jewel in the sky."

"Keh. Getting there is half the battle." A third voice hissed, this one, a twitchy chameleon hunched over with folded hands: Leon Powalski.

"Leon's right," said Wolf. "much as I'd like to hit 'em where it hurts, we have to cut 'em down here before we do anything else." He spoke low, but forcefully...every word he uttered held both calculated authority and intimidation.  
"Sauria will be easy. We can put Fang on that one and let her handle Fox's _attack dog._ Titania is the same way; they're only sending a small squad to undermine what we're doing there, so I'm sending in Leon with a squad of shock-troops to help out the division we already have down there."

The two whom he had just mentioned both nodded their reptilian heads in satisfaction.  
"Keh-heh...always wanted a chance to get back at that troublesome bird. Heehee..." Leon began fiddling with his hands, while his eyes still darted all over the room.

'Fang,' however, remained motionless, relaxed but visibly impatient. She also had a score to settle with the Human, ever since he killed her General and left Sauria the backwater, second-rate planet it had always been—something she and Scales could have changed twice now, yet failed twice to do.  
She hated this alliance with Venom as much as they hated to be chained to her people, but it was necessary. The SharpClaw would unite the various tribes, and join the rest of the system's level of advancement, and Oikonny would get whatever information he needed about the Krazoa—and therefore, as he believed—the humans.

It was a new line of thought, but there were many in the system—including the Saurians—who believed that the one known as Callahan's presence signaled a second coming, and better yet...proof that the Krazoa actually existed as a creator race.

But such secrets...she could only divulge so much to Oikonny. The rest would have to come from the priests of the other tribes, who more intimately held such secrets.

"Good. And with the fleet still assembled around Venom, we're in a good position to take any number of units to Macbeth." Wolf smirked. This destination also meant he would get to take his remaining team against Star Fox. "It's still the supply and production center for the rest of the Republic. Once we take it down, it'll all be smooth sailing."

His feline teammate was fairly satisfied with this decision as well.  
"Exquisite...Panther will enjoy the good fortune of meeting with the lovely Krystal once more."

"Don't get your drawers in a twist. We're here on business." Wolf fiddled around with the display a little bit more to mark their locations, before hitting a 'send' button, prompting the entire map to disappear.

"~message sending... - message sending... - message sent.~" the display went dark, and then went back to the main menu.

"You all have your orders. Get ready to scramble." Wolf stood up and waved his arm in a sideways chopping motion.  
"Star Wolf, **move out!**"

They all stood to leave, but he stopped his new SharpClaw member before she could leave.  
"Except for you. I've got some questions."

Fang stopped to glare at him with contempt.

Wolf waited for the door to close behind the last set of boots before he continued.  
"It's time to fess up."

"I have nothing more to tell you." She replied cooly.

"That's a steaming load and you know it." Wolf crossed his arms and smirked. "Oikonny is investing a lot...and I mean a _lot_of time and effort into this whole Krazoa thing. We've already figured out how to manipulate that kind of energy, so he's letting the SharpClaw keep them. So what's the point of chasing after ghosts when we aren't getting anything out of it?"

"You mean to ask me what you get out of it?" She likewise crossed her arms in mimicry, raising her snout upwards at the ludicrous request he was making.

"I'm asking you what _Oikonny_ gets out of it, because whatever it is, we have to deal with that bullshit later on down the road. You may have told _him_, but _I_ need to know more about it if I'm gonna deal with something like that.  
He's looking for **humans,** isn't he? Because he thinks if he finds a connection, he's betting on the fact he'll be able to find something better than six spirits."

The room went silent, and Fang remained stoic, enduring this interrogation for what was evidently the umpteenth time.

"Well?"

"'Well' what?"

"Are you gonna come clean? If Oikonny finds more Krazoa out in space somewhere, there are only a few things that could happen. Venom attains supremacy and wipes out the Saurian tribes as WELL as the Republic just because they can. The other is that the Krazoa retaliate and we're ALL screwed anyway. So what's it gonna be, _heiress?_"

She scowled, but her agitation was evident by her hard swallow.

"Yer' not afraid of that outcome 'cuz you've already been told it won't happen. That there are no more Krazoas out there. Am I right?"

Silence.

"The fact that Callahan is out there is proof enough that until just recently, there was at least an entire civilization full of Krazoas...somewhere out there. And even then, we have reason to believe that he _lied_ about being sole survivor. Do you know what that means, Fang?"

She remembered the reports. She knew exactly what it meant.

"That means there's likely to be even more of them. And if that's the case, they already know about us. You need to wake up, kid. We're in way over our heads."

"...if you tell me what you know, I will give you whatever knowledge I possess."

"Peachy." Wolf flashed a toothy, crooked grin, lowering his remaining eye towards the reptile.  
"You first. I've been dancing around this for ages."

"Very well. Where should I begin?"

"From the beginning. I know you guys made a religion about these guys."

Her sharp eyes scanned his face for a few seconds before she uncrossed her arms and began to stroll towards the door, prompting him to follow. "The Krazoa were said to be a race with infinite wisdom. They have existed since the universe's inception, existing outside the bounds of normal mortal needs. They were pure light, and possessed limitless longevity. It is said that once a great evil challenged the universe, ravaging every living thing in its path, the Krazoa entered a war with this deity, and while they succeeded in slaying the beast, their victory was not without cost. All life in the universe—perceived by Saurians as six realms—was exterminated, except for the six Cardinal Krazoa spirits. They used the corpse of the "Black Beast" whom they had slain to form the planet we know as Sauria, and entered the world itself to bring life to the universe."

"And how do you explain the life on other planets? You've seen Cornerians, a few Cerinians, and now a living Krazoa."

"All that there is originated on Sauria. Allegedly."

"Right. And they got off-world while the rest of you lot are stuck here. And the Human-slash-Krazoa?"

"Another myth tells of a day when the gift of life brought by the Krazoa will eventually begin to revive their own race in flesh and blood. This will signal a full return to the days when the Krazoa ruled the stars, and when these mortal Krazoa once again rule the mortal races, the Spirits will return to allow their followers to ascend into a higher existence. We will all become pure light, immortal beings, just as the Krazoa once were."

"So you think that Lance Callahan is the first of these new Krazoa?"

"My _people_ believe this. They think his arrival signals the first of many. Even when he claimed that he was the sole survivor of some calamity, the High Priests claimed that this was either untrue or that more of him would somehow be born into the world. At any rate, few expect that he is the last Krazoa...or the last _human_...that this system will see."

"I get it. Oikonny must see some kinda truth to it, then."

"If he seeks out the truth, he surely must."

"So why do you wanna kill the human so bad?"

"If you were to kill a God, who would oppose you?"

"If you really don't believe in all this magical mumbo-jumbo, I don't see any reason you wouldn't be straight with me before. You'd have to see that there was a possibility that if we found the Krazoa, that would put you in the line of fire, right?"

"I doubt Oikonny is capable of finding them. Even if he is, surely they will only cut him down."

Wolf studied her thoroughly. Whatever could have caused her to abandon such deep beliefs? And what was she really trying to gain through this alliance? Was it really just to rule the world, or to earn the unity she so often claimed the Saurians needed?

"Whatever. I got nuthin' else. For now."

"Fine. Now it's my turn." She stopped to face him. "What 'evidence' makes you think there exists another human?"

"Simple. We saw it ourselves."

Her eyes narrowed. Not even the Lylat proper was talking about such news. Could Venomian forces truly have witnessed such great news?  
If so, it surely meant her plans would need to be modified. "Explain yourself."

"There's this planet...called Kew." Wolf poked around with his comm-device a little, summoning a floating image of a typical garden planet.  
"It's in another star system, about a light year away from this one. Lylat has been trying to scout possible colonies for a while, but this is the first one we've already found. Thing is...someone already beat us to it."

Another set of images popped up: several individuals, almost exactly representing Cornerians in physical features; bipedal creatures with identical proportions and animal features. They were all dressed in tribal clothing, and the set that Wolf revealed were all Mammals.

"These are not humans," announced Fang, unimpressed.

"No, not yet at least." Wolf typed in a command, and a video began to play. It was only a split second, but another bipedal creature ran past at incredible speed. It was only a few frames, but Wolf skipped frame by frame, pausing on a slightly blurred image of what might _possibly_ be a human.  
Though 'it' was covered in clothing and armor, its anatomy was visible enough—mirroring that of all the sapient bipeds they knew of so far. But it also had no tail, and the metallic mask it wore would have only fit something with a flat face...a human, or a primate.  
And since the entire set of inhabitants Wolf had revealed resembled canine and feline variants, it was entirely possible that this was an outside source. Especially since the outfit it wore looked...impressively high-tech, even by Lylatean standards.

"But this one...we have our suspicions."

Fang watched the video replay itself several more times. The figure in the back was dashing through a lightly populated outpost, jumping from one tent to the next in the middle of a prairie. Though she wondered how they would have been able to scout this closely, she was far more concerned about what this meant for her future...and that of Sauria. Even Corneria would be concerned if they knew about this.  
People were going to slowly grow more fearful of the Human, and this would only add to the mounting chaos.

Without another word, she headed to the hangar to prepare for her descent back to Sauria.


	34. Chapter 34: Extreme Ways

Chapter 34: Extreme Ways

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Nothing but sands stretched out as far as the eye could see. Dunes rose and descended like waves in a vast ocean, blurred and distorted by heat and wind. Into the scorching expanse, new wanderers approached, meeting the wasteland with gloom and apathy only fitting for the dreary backdrop. These badlands welcomed no outsider, bore no life, and showed no quarter to those dared to stumble through the powdered rock that filled every corner of existence.  
But there were a few...just a select handful of usurpers...who survived this lonely, unforgiving world. Every face held a story, etched into their aged complexions, buried behind their vacant eyes. These were the few.  
For such pioneers...and _only_ for those who had braved the sandstorms, the harsh winds, and the bitter nights...the planet welcomed _them_ with open arms. Life without life: like a watchful mother, those who knew her deadly embrace were drawn time and time again within its boundaries—masochistic at best, suicidal at worst. It was their name for this world: the_Motherland._

Falco Lombardi...ace pilot and former marauder...was no stranger to this Mother. Once in his time he had been forced to struggle through the wastes, to yearn for food and water, barely fortunate enough to find solace in the ruins on an unmarked map. Only by fate had he survived the trials there, hunted down by one as ruthless as the Motherland itself. And yet...he had returned with the very comrades on whom he had relied during his first visit.

Thus, the watchful Mother always sees her children home again.

His eyes stared back, fixed on the giant rings stretched around the planet. High overhead, they marked the region known ironically as the Haven, reaching the entire width of the planet like a belt. These rings hung in the skies as the only remarkable feature on this barren globe.

With any luck—or lack thereof—there would at least be some form of excitement to liven things up around here. Anything besides surviving the heat, at least. Then again, that brought an entirely new dimension of strategy to the battlefield, considering the unique atmosphere. The winds would surely disrupt any sortie for the pilots occupying the skies, and the heat was a constant strain on the aircraft, let alone any other facilities.

Clothed in his typical flight suit and boots, Falco also sported a brown cloak made of little more than old rags, more typical of recon units. But that was exactly what part of his job entailed: "find them, kill them." Bioweapons were allegedly scattered all over Titania, and analysis suggested the most inaccessible regions possible, and several suspicious ruins had recently been found in the Haven belt. And with any _more_ luck, this also meant preventing said bioweapons from reaching the prying hands of the Lylat system's newest megalomaniac.

But that wasn't the true purpose for his presence...there was something else hidden here. The ultimate terraforming device was buried somewhere in the dunes, waiting to save an entire world. It was created by the one known as Andross, and yet...despite its power to save, to create...history had taught Corneria that even the purest of things could be corrupted by Venom's deadly touch. It would be unwise to risk leaving such a device to the whims of the children of Venom.  
And when it would be employed to bring life to that devastated planet, it would also usher in an assault on the aforementioned "Anglars," alleged creations of Andross, and inhabitants of the acidic Venom Sea. Their existence lacked any evidence, but this mission had been deemed vital. But boredom and stagnation yet plagued the bird.

Winds abruptly pummeled the landscape, nearly blowing over the lone avian. He clutched his rags, planting himself steadfastly against the sudden gust. Turning back towards camp, he made his way down from the dune he had used as a perch just moments before. There was nothing more to see here, and trudging through the sands was a chore in its own right. Every step forced his knee up, producing a cloud of sand every second. Already exhausted, he refused to show any sign that he could no longer feel his legs. But the tiger who was now approaching him was equally prideful, likewise refusing to show that he was even more poorly conditioned to handle the heat.

"Boss wants to talk to us about a scout team that found an old temple." Tora spoke quickly enough to conceal his heavy gasping. "Don't keep him waiting; I wanna get this over and done with asap."

"Nah, man. I think we should sit back and enjoy the scenery."

"You're a riot." The tiger rolled his eyes, meeting his comrade at his side. The two made their way towards a small cluster of huts and tents, hastily set up near several fighters and transport aircraft. Their supplies were spartan, but only because their mission required much less operational power than most other units in the growing campaign.

"Shouldn't _you guys_ be handling this? This whole thing is crampin' my style."

"Wish we could, but Katt can only bear the brunt for so long. Your face is famous. They won't trust us unless they see Star Fox's premiere pilot every now and again."

"Tch. Fine." Falco closed his eyes and waved off the advice. "I'll get to it...whenever."

"What's eating you anyway? You gotten over what happened here last time?"

"Not that I'm saying I can't handle it, but that's not really something you forget." Seldom did the reformed delinquent to show any kind of weakness, but he could at least express some form of fear with his closest allies.  
"No biggie. Just means I gotta keep my eyes open."

"Leon's not gonna show up again. And if he does, we'll be ready."

"You're wrong. They've been thinking the same way we have...they'll send someone who's already been here before. Leon knows the wastes better than anyone else on Star Wolf, and they'll for sure want that psycho on the job."

"You really think so? We can take him this time."

"Hell yeah, we will. I got a score to settle with that punk."

"A wiser man would be more afraid. He's a trained assassin."

"And I'm the toughest guy with wings. He forgot he was dealing with the Devil of Meteo."

"Yeah...sure. That was years ago." Tora frowned. If he didn't know any better, he would have mistaken the current Falco for the brazen thug he used to be.

"Let's bail. Katt and the others shoulda found our stash by now."

"You're too zealous. Or are you just impatient?"

"Aw shaddup, man."

The two hauled themselves back to camp, hoping for any news on their new directions. They were both getting impatient to move on with the campaign.  
They passed several troops, wandering between supplies, quarters, and command, several times over. No tent seemed to yield them any relief to their growing sense of uselessness.

Until Ursa wandered up.

"There you are. We got the green light to check these ruins out."  
Straight to the point, he pulled up a holographic map marking both their encampment and the target site. Seems he was as antsy as the both of them.

Tora pointed the the site. "Are we sure we're gonna fin—"

"NO," Falco jabbed him in the arm, "don't give him any excuse to keep us here. Let's GO."

"Fine." Ursa nodded and trundled off, closing down the map. "I'll round up Katt so we can mosey. I'm sick of this place, anyway."

= = = = =

_The Guardian is missing...the Spirits saved my life...and Venom is stuck to this planet like glue. Are these things all connected?_

Plenty of scheming and sneaking around had given Lance the time to think. Even as he set up traps for the battalion before him, constantly vigilant for any danger, his mind was always wandering. Always prodding, searching for connections. Yearning for answers.

He hadn't forgotten his first contact with this beautiful, dangerous world. Almost immediately after touching down on the Krazoa Palace, he had been whisked off by the Star Fox team to be formally evaluated and integrated. And not even several weeks after that, he had returned to examine some disturbing information found by the same signal his Guardian had emitted before he landed and woke up—nearly fifty years after leaving Earth. At that time, the Saurian known as Fang had seized control of the very piece of ancient technology that had brought him here, and used it against him. It had killed him there, on those steps, and yet...the same Spirits she had used to power it were able to revive him. It was not yet his time, but the reason still eluded him.

More often than not, the natives had referred to him as a Krazoa. And the spirits themselves had referred to a grand destiny he was meant to fulfill. Clearly, they wanted him alive, surely because his existence would benefit them. Could that be why he was here now? Maybe.  
Regardless, this was the third time he had been drawn into Saurian affairs.

He made an effort to set the affair aside for now, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it would inevitably be connected with his current mission. He might be wrong...but...?

Currently situated near one of the particle cannons, he had rotated it inwards towards the encampment. He had done away with all the guards of several of these stations, making sure to collect their radios so he could 'report in' to avoid any suspicion. Of course, he had already come this far, and was fully committed to cause an uncharacteristic ruckus.  
Subtlety and infiltration had always been his strong point, but given his circumstances...he decided there was far too much in this one base for him to manage it all by sneaking around, and to top it off there was too much manpower for him to sneak around too much at all. After all, he was sure that if anyone spotted a human—rather, THE human—no one had to be stupid enough to not know why he was here.

Therefore...create a fire, shave the population down a bit, route them away from the main hub to give him some breathing room to move, and the result would allow him to sneak around as he pleased.  
All he needed to do anyway was get rid of the jamming tower. After that, he could freely contact Slippy—now on standby—to mine for any data he could find on the local network.

_The next few minutes are gonna be hectic...let's see how it plays out._  
Though he was embarrassed to admit it to himself, he was almost excited to see the destructive capabilities of the tools in front of him.

Taking the prone position, he waited for several moments, no longer spotting the elusive 'phantom' his radar was picking up earlier. Maybe it really was just one person? The blips had all disappeared at the same time, which meant that this individual had better things to do.

_Well then. No time like the present._  
After reporting in one more time on all radios, stashing one of them into his cargo pocket, he played around with the controls on the cannon, projected on a holographic screen, and immediately began running. After several moments of an increasingly loud humming sound, a blinding flash emitted from the muzzle, blazing through the perimeter and directly into the comm tower. The great crack echoed before dying down, and Lance didn't once stop to look back. Within half a minute, he was upon the neighboring cannon, which he had pointed inward towards the very one he had just used. And not a moment too soon...glancing at his HUD, he spotted a multitude of troops fanning out through the thicket, with a considerably large amount closing in on the previous cannon.

_Just a few more seconds, aaaaaaaand..._

Punching in the same commands he used on the previous weapon, the charging tone indicated this one was preparing to fire upon its target. Lance took off sprinting again, this times directly towards the line of troops. Though they were a good fifty yards into the jungle, some of them clearly spotted him between the trees, as blaster fire rained in his direction. It was useless, though...their heat visors were blurred once the blast from the second cannon filled the greenery with the blazing shot. On top of that, it had struck—and blown up—the first cannon, undoubtedly taking out a good number of the guards investigating the scene.

Lance took the opportunity granted by the enemy's blindness: he flipped on the same device he had used to parachute from his Arwing and thrust him self as high into the air as his legs would allow him. With this low gravity field surrounding him, he quickly found himself above the canopy, above the prying eyes below. As far as they were concerned, he had completely vanished.

He took hold of a nearby tree trunk, opening up the radio he had acquired earlier to listen in on the chaos below.

"~The hell just happened?!~"

"~...too many casualties! No idea...~"

"~...get me a medic! Double time!~"

"~Those filthy Cornerians are here!~"

"~I want this whole forest combed for whoever did this...~"

"~Spread out. Don't let him sneak around...~"

Nothing of value for now. At least they were unlikely to look up and see him. That Low-G field would unlikely emit a conspicuous amount of heat, anyway, so he couldn't use it too liberally.

Without another moment of hesitation, he punched in a new line on the frequency, opening communications as fast as the machine would allow. Soon, a familiar voice sounded over the line.

"~Hey, what's the big idea? Who is—~"

"No time for that, Slip. We got work to do."

"~Lance? Haven't heard from you in ages. Thought you were dead for a minute there.~"

"Thanks for the confidence." He glanced around below him, barely muttering into the device. Looks like that Phantom was back in action, frantically hopping between both cannons. "I took out the jammer. You should be able to hit whatever you can right now."

"~Got it.~"

"Don't waste any time. I gotta keep this brief, and I'm gonna set to blow the tower out as soon as I can. They're probably sending out an SOS right now."

"~Yeah, got it. I'll get what I can until you do that.~"

"Good."

He closed communications and immediately pulled out his pistol.  
The design bore little resemblance to kinetic human weapons, or to Cornerian blasters. Working on a sort of rail system powered by the same fuel cell used in Lylatean blasters, it expelled slugs directly from the clip...using no gunpowder, and no shell casings, allowing for much better capacity as well as stability, and surprisingly...more stopping power. But the best part was, the only sound he had to worry about was the supersonic "crack" the slug made when it was ejected. Still fairly loud, but not _nearly_ as bad as black powder weapons.

Unloading several rounds into the small comm device, he ensured it was shredded...leaving behind no trace of the call he had just made, and discarded it to the jungle floor below.  
And with that, he threw on his force field again and hopped through the trees, careful to stay away from any prying eyes.

_Almost there..._

The human stopped to perch on a tree specifically placed between the first explosion and the base, to limit the enemy's field of vision. If they were still depending on visors, anyone looking in his direction would find a mass of heat, and it would be impossible to pick him out unless he was spotted from his left or right flank.  
Below him, there was an isolated path leading up to a southwest entrance to the encampment. Of course, the canopy stopped here, and he was a good distance away from the comm tower...further impeded by multitudes of guards and miscellaneous personnel.  
But, as expected...the number was far lower than he could have hoped. The distraction from the two subsequent blasts had forced many of the occupants to evacuate, and whoever was left behind still scrambled around base—either to salvage whatever they had or to destroy what they couldn't afford to have fall into enemy hands.

Only a minute passed before Callahan decided he was done waiting for Slippy's prodding. He gently dropped towards the ground, relying on the same parachuting method to cushion the impact. Sure enough, he landed just barely on the opposite side of the fence, inside the perimeter but behind a rather large tent. He had enough cover to where he could remain concealed...for a little while. But he had to find some way to get to the comm tower. After that was done, he could rest easy.

For now, he slid behind a series of crates and opened up the small duffel bag he had brought with him. As planned, he had maintained the helmet he had lifted from the guard earlier, and slid it onto his head. With this uniform, he wouldn't be undetected for long, but hopefully it would be enough to make the most out of whatever time he had left.

Holding the Venomian rifle he had also seized, he vaulted over the top and took off. The headgear wasn't made for him, having no snout or mammalian ears, so it was highly uncomfortable and flopped around a lot, but it was at least enough to avoid the most immediate suspicion... After a mad dash through the crowds of soldiers, he stopped in front of a nearby aircraft and prepared for take-off.

_Radar's picking something up...looks like my stalker buddy is here._

Those sporadic blips began popping up like mad all over the camp. Surely it would have been the same one from earlier...there was no path between points of detection. His radar pointed off in the direction of what he assumed would be charge of quarters, faced with the image of whom he last expected to see.

A lithe but athletic figure of a SharpClaw, draped in traditional armor and tribal wear...clearly female by appearance. But the cape she adorned bore the familiar insignia of General Scales' regime.  
_Fang? Wouldn't she be commanding something instead of hopping around the jungle?_  
In a moment, it made sense. After picking up a small datapad from another SharpClaw, the air around her rippled and burned, and she vanished.

_What the...?_ Despite how it may have seemed, Lance also spotted a trail of rippling air in the direction of another tent.  
She wasn't teleporting; she was using some kind of device that made quick jumps between locations. Whether or not she was on patrol, she expected some kind of attempt from the outside world—or at the very least, from Corneria—and wanted the pleasure of running into said intruder herself. Maybe she figured they would send Lance, Fox or Krystal, since the three of them had the most experience with Sauria.

_Looks like she didn't see me. I'm outta here._  
Without wasting another moment, he hopped into the small jet, fortunate enough not to encounter any pilot who may have already occupied the seat, and prepared to leave at first opportunity. There were already plenty of aircraft lining the skies, but unfortunately, all the other fighters were still grounded, most likely in preparation of an attack. This would be the most obvious announcement possible.

_Better make it quick, then._  
The canopy began to close, and several troops took notice, shouting and waving at him to get out. He paid them no heed, and the moment the systems all read functional, he began to rotate the craft, wantonly firing off all the bombs and main guns into as many tents and other fighters as he could, prompting even more chaotic rushing and scrambling than before. He spared only one bomb, however...and turned it onto the communications tower in the center of the encampment.  
Wide eyed Lylateans and Saurians soon figured out his intent, and scrambled as far away from the tower as possible. The familiar swooshing sound echoed throughout the hollow, and the glowing sphere impacted with the base of the tower in a blaze of sparks and fire. As it started to tip, Callahan tipped the fighter upwards, gently hovering off the ground.

His ascent was interrupted with a loud thud from the glass canopy above the cockpit. He turned his head upwards to see none other than Fang herself pounding madly to break through the barrier. Though he didn't understand the obscenities she was undoubtedly throwing his way, he remained unfazed and continued his ascent. In a few more seconds, he blasted off, removing her from his windshield, and moved on his way towards the Krazoa Palace to investigate.

Not several mile outside of the encampment, he called up the very landing craft he had arrived in.  
These Venomian jets likely had some sort of remote override...Corneria had been using such avionics for years, and though they most likely wouldn't be able to make any use of this security function with their communication shot, the human determined that it may have been a better decision regardless.  
He soon spotted his custom Arwing, the Castaway, and opened the windshield to his current transport. There were undoubtedly several more fighters on the way to catch him—possibly including Fang—so he would have to make this transfer a quick one. He swiftly hopped out of the cockpit, allowing the craft to plummet to the ground, and threw on his parachute system, gently landing on the nose of his Castaway.  
As he had intended it, Slippy had ensured that it was primarily a stealth craft—it wouldn't be easily spotted by anyone he didn't intend to find him.

With that last push, he stashed the Venomian gear he was wearing, hopped into his familiar seat and climbed higher into the sky, away from the prodding eyes below.  
Once he was sure he was fine, he turned on the comm-link and punched in a new code.

"God...now that that's over with."  
The human awaited the connection while the tone rang several times.

And finally...  
"~Yo?~"

"Dash, that you?"

"~...Lance? What's going on? Uncle Andrew's flippin' a shitty! What did you do down there?~"

"I kinda caused a shitstorm. Sorry."

"~'Sorry?' I thought you were discrete!~"

"Plans got changed. I found a more efficient way."

"~Oh my God, Lance. I was prepared for a surgical job...now I have no idea how to cover up this one...~"

"Just tell him the truth. Someone broke in and ruined his forward operations on Sauria."

"~Ah...so you already know, then? I just found out myself.~"

"I'm almost surprised. They had a lot of assets to manage here, and they stuffed it all into Thorntail Hollow. Looks like this was a central command, like they were gonna manage a forward campaign off-world, but I was expecting to see more of a local operation."

"~Yeah, but Sauria has a good position. It would have been good for planet hopping, once it came close to the rest of Lylat a year from now. It's good you took it out...but just a heads up, they already have a fleet closing in to the center, but they'll be confused and divided now, thanks to you.~"

"Good. The sooner we let Pepper know, the better."

"~But what do you mean, 'tell him the truth?' I thought we couldn't expose you this early on.~"

"You aren't. General Fang saw me, but I was wearing some local gear. Far as she knows, I'm just another Cornerian. I took off in a two-seater, so with any luck, we can convince them that Ursa and Tora are here, and not me."

"~Fang? Scales' former right-hand commander?~"

"The very same."

"~Hm...strange, I thought she'd be at the Krazoa Palace right now.~"

"I've been meaning to ask you about that."

"~Good timing, then. I just found out my Uncle has been trying to find the Spirits, as well as that piece of technology that got you here. But he isn't any closer to finding anything.~"

"I destroyed the Guardian myself, so there's no way he's finding that. But what about the spirits?"

"~Wait, what? Why would you destroy that thing?! That was Black-box nanotechnology the entire system's been trying to figure out for years!~"

"Too risky. Not even humans knew too much about it. We already mined whatever info we could get out of it, and besides, I found something much better."

"~I don't wanna know what that would be, but who's 'we?'~"

"Who else?"

"~Ah...you, Slippy, and...I'm guessing you got Lucy Hare in on it, too.~"

"There's a lot of quantum physics involved. We needed her. I just hope she can keep her mouth shut."

"~But anyway, the spirits seem to be completely gone. The planet is still in normal condition, so we know this hasn't affected their... _Spell Stones_...at all. But the palace is turning into a wreck.~"

"Any idea why they would leave?"

"~Maybe they knew what was going on. It would have been the **third** time in two years that anyone's tried to exploit their power. But here's the weird thing...~"

"Yeah?"

"~You remember how your Guardian could channel all sorts of crazy energy, right? How Fang used that to get a couple of the spirits?~"

"Sure."

"~Well...the same power that was radiating from your guardian is present on _every_ known shrine in the palace.~"

"...that's impossible."

"~It's also true. I think I have evidence to assume that the spirits aren't occupying their shrines _or_ any statue in the palace. So they're just...gone.~"

"So you think someone else nabbed them?"

"~I know it sounds unlikely, but we can't worry about it now.~"

"I agree." Immediately upon hearing this news, Lance turned the craft around and made for the atmosphere. His presence on Sauria would have been pointless for now.  
"So what now? I wanna know about these Anglars I been hearing so much talk about."

"~Well, I already sent you the outline to my Uncle's campaign. That should provide you with enough to hold them off on the other front. As for the Anglars...they've got a mind of their own. They don't technically answer to anyone, but Uncle wants them to jump in for backup, and it looks like that's what they're doing right now.~"

"Is Venom really so weakened that they'd throw out their trump card right now?"

"~Looks like it. You already dealt some pretty bad damage to one forward command. Once the Cornerian Armada finishes the job, they won't have any trouble winning that front. But Uncle is still gonna go for Corneria, and he has enough manpower to make it happen. But without the Anglars pitching in, he won't have enough to ensure he maintains control. And he knows it.~"

"I hear they're hiding out in the Venom sea."

"~Yeah...their ships are made of some aluminum alloy to make sure they don't melt out there, and on top of that, the sea is also the source of everything wrong with Venom's atmosphere. Once you neutralize the acidity in the oceans, we lose our cover over here. No more hiding, no more shielding from the acid rain, no more radar-jamming acid clouds. Our only advantage is completely gone. So that device you're trying to get on Titania? It's **crucial.** I'll send you as much info on that and the Anglars as I've got.~"

"Thanks. What about Star Wolf?"

"~Uncle gave Wolf O'Donnell enough smugglers and pirates to manage an outlaw community known as Sargasso.~"

"I already know that."

"~But what you don't know is that they're now a sort of...rogue unit. They can function without directions from Venom, so without them reporting to us, we don't know for sure what's going on.~"

"But I can't imagine they wouldn't have regular contact with Oikonny."

"~Right now, what we do know is that they're playing by Star Fox's playbook: they learned from their mistakes in the Lylat Wars way back when. Right now, they wanna hit MacBeth and knock out the major supplies and training centers."

"Looks like they did their homework."

"~Yeah, and they're serious this time.~"

"Does that mean they're all together again? Because I was under the impression Fang was with them now, and I just ran into her down here."

"~Yeah, but they're kinda split up. Other than Fang, Leon's the only one who ran off. I dunno where he is, though. And Pigma's still just...doing whatever it is he does.~"

"Splendid. Leon's the _last_ guy I want unaccounted."

"~I take it you know what he can do, then?~"

"Let's just say I'm glad I haven't had to tangle with him yet."

"~True that.~"

"Is there anything else?"

"~Not right now. I gotta go, but there's one thing I'd like to know, first.~"

"What's that?"

"~Uh...when I get outta here...I mean, when I can stop doing the whole double agent thing, do you think I could join you guys with Star Fox?~"

Lance hesitated for a minute. True, this young primate had done him more help than any other ally so far, but could he really hold up in a dogfight?  
"Can't say for sure. They'll probably find some reason why they can't take in a kid, but I got a better offer."

"~Oh?~"

"I've been cooking up a little 'club' I want you to be a part of..."


	35. Chapter 35: Astra Inclinant

Chapter 35: Astra Inclinant...

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sunlight sifted through the parting clouds, fragmenting the expansive meadows below into light and shade. The world bore the beautiful emerald hue of the rolling hills and gentle wind. Like a sweet kiss, it caressed the cheek of the observant vulpine standing on the gorgeous expanse, whispering tales of prosperity and laughter...carrying a ballad of more innocent times. The blue sky met with the pure white cover far off into the distance, and as far as that vision extended, the scattered rays of the heavens above danced with the landscape, enraptured by an intimate rhythm.  
Such was the breath-taking view of the first planet the Cornerian Federation had ever terraformed. Macbeth was hailed for its similarity to Corneria in its environmental potential—it now thrived as greatly and peacefully as its sister planet.  
For the first in a very long time, Fox McCloud was at complete peace, letting his arms hang relaxed at his side. He took in a deep breath, held it, shutting his eyes in focus, and let it out, adding another whisper to the soft zephyrs all around him. The air was cool and rich with oxygen. Perfect...everything was...perfect.

Soft footsteps from behind woke him from his daze. The hero calmly turned to see the cerulean form of the team's psychic member. Dressed in her deep blue, form-fitting flight suit that now seemed standard fare, she parted her hair as she approached.

"Lovely, isn't it?" She cooed, stopping at his side. "It almost reminds me of home.

"Mm..." he mused. "When we were on Agatio's derelict ship, Cerinia did look kinda like this. I'm sure the view of the moon would be nice, too."

She giggled, remembering the nightscape of her homeworld. "Yes, we should come see it at dusk sometime. Maybe if we have time tonight...?"

"I'd like that." He nodded, smiling only subtly. It didn't take a telepath to know that she was the specific reason he enjoyed the notion of that idea. Though everyone could see the chemistry, he remained awkward in her presence. Much to his fortune, however, he was slowly growing accustomed to her company.  
"Y'know...I think I could retire here."

"Hm? Already thinking so far ahead?"

"It's hard not to, seeing the scenery." Fox lowered his head, directing his gaze to the forward horizon. "I actually grew up in a place like this, back on Corneria."

"Was it very peaceful?"

"Yeah...I'd hoped I'd go go back sometime after the war was over, but..." He trailed off, tensing slightly. "There just doesn't seem to be any end to the stuff we have to deal with."

The vixen crossed her arms and tilted her hips. "I see...is that what's been bothering you lately? That you don't think the conflict will ever end?"

"It's like Lance said...as long as there are two people left in the universe, someone's gonna want somebody dead. But...that's just a given. That's not news, but it would be nice to have peacetime last long enough for it not to fall on _us_ all the time."

"Well, you're right about that." She offered an understanding smile. "To settle down, just for a little while...it doesn't seem like the team has had much of a chance for that."

She took a small step closer, just to test if his comfort with her had grown at all. Although she could sense his intent, he was prone to protecting his space. For now, he made no movement to escape.  
"And on top of it all," she continued, "I can see how much of a burden it is to concern yourself with the lives of billions."

"Heh..." Fox considered it arrogant to acknowledge such a lofty responsibility, and thus said nothing to his defense.  
"Well...I'm not the only one who feels that way."  
Nevertheless, he knew it was true, and felt that few, if anyone, could understand the magnitude of his duty. True, the lives of his people were at stake, but that was a simplified cliché in the makings of mass media's grandiosity. The more influence you had, the more subordinates you had to worry about. Not just their lives, but their competence, their reliability...and most terrifying of all, their opinion of you.

Star Fox—as celebrities—were at constant risk of scrutiny, and though no decent human being enjoyed confessing their fear of this danger, it was all too true.  
And in his case...her opinion may have been on the line as well.

She sensed this thought, and merely laughed at it. The sound of her amusement pleased the vulpine greatly, and he felt her arm snake into his, her body pressing against his side.  
"You don't need to worry about things like that. It's like you said earlier...you aren't the only one; you have _us_ to share in your burden."

If he lacked the fur to conceal it, he would have been glowing red. Fighting madly to shake off his embarrassment, he warily placed a hand on her arm, leaning in to meet her contact.  
"Yeah—we will. I mean...thanks."

They stood there for a long time, taking in the scenery. Their work had not yet been set up, and they had plenty of time to prepare for the simple training mission for which they had arrived. But for now, their enjoyment was enough. After a while, Krystal rested her head on his shoulder, to which he simply replied by returning the gesture.

= = = = =

As the sands raged on, hammering the skiff they rode, Falco and crew remained silent yet restless. Tora occupied himself by fiddling around with his necklace, a sizable fang of unknown origin, flicking it back and forth. Ursa was nearly asleep, nodding off every few moments, only to be jarred awake by the bumpy ride. Falco just stared ahead, pretending not to take notice of Katt, who had begun watching him intently.  
The crew was on their own—just the way they liked it. Though right now, Falco would have chosen to be with anyone but her. As usual, she was the first to break the silence.

"So, big man, what's the deal?" her voice had a way of passing a seductive tone to everything she said. Her words oozed like sweet honey, yet the lone avian seemed to be the only one who hated it so.

"What are you talking about?" In spite of his cool demeanor, he refused to make eye contact with her.

All Katt saw was that he was intimidated, and countered by pushing her face further into his peripheral, now leaning on the same railing he was staring over.  
"Aw, now don't be like that~" Her tone ended in a light purr. "Don't act like you forgot about us. We had a lot of fun together, didn't we?"

"What, running around playing cowboy?"

"Hmm~" she giggled, "You can't even say my name."

"...what does that have to do with anything?"  
That was another thing he hated. She had the _uncanny_ ability to get inside his head and freeze every thought he had, forcing out a lame response he knew was untrue or irrelevant.

"You're so cute when you're angry~" and she, in turn, knew exactly what she was doing. "I kinda miss it."

"Sure."

"I do! I like it. Just like old times."

"Why do you keep trying to bring that up?"

"Because I wanna talk about it.

"I don't."

"Yeah, you do. Those were the best days of your life, hm?"

"No, my best days were with Star Fox."

"Yeah, just look at you now. You aren't even flying, and we're having _oodles_ of fun..."

"We'll get our chance."

Tora, watching intently, was fully aware of what was happening. It was nothing but a game, and Falco was losing. The ditzy attitude was just a front, and she was excellent at controlling conversation. Katt Monroe, though always meaning well, was flighty and manipulative by nature. The constant probing, the allure, the playful mask...it always kept the victim on his toes. Kept him uncomfortable—intimidated by a woman they thought could have any man she wanted. A popular yet uncommon tactic, Falco was aware of it, too, but painfully—and unfortunately—all too helpless to avoid even the most obvious of traps. For though he claimed apathy towards her advances, he still held a most precious, secret soft spot in his heart for the woman. After all, they did share a unique history.  
_Old times...? Far from it. They both know full well they have nothing left and she's still trying to salvage something from their old life._

Katt tilted her head subtly, making direct eye contact. "Sure, and then you'll come save the day."

_Urk...that smile._ "Whatever."

"Do you remember the Riders, Falco?"

"What kinda question is that?"

"Just wondering~" she glanced off, cutting eye contact.

"...what, that's it?"

"Oh~? You wanted to hear more?"

"Cut the shit. I'm not playing your games." Of course, the only way to win was not to play along at all.

"Ooh, now you're getting forceful!"

"..."

"Still, it looks like you've gone pretty _vanilla._"

Insulting his masculinity? HELL no.  
"What'd you say? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

"I _used_ to know. Now you're just a boyscout. Just like the rest." And with that, she walked over to Ursa and Tora, and sat down dangerously close to the latter, who only wore a blank expression.  
Falco was at a loss for words. She was, of course...referring to his earlier career as a delinquent, blasting between the meteor belt and Corneria, starting fights and small time rackets on a regular basis. He moved for no one, answered to no man, and made his own laws. He was King, and she was his Queen. That is, until they finally got caught and faced an enlistment sentence, courtesy of the Cornerian Defense Force. Ever since then, the group was disbanded as Falco fell in with Star Fox.

"Just to let you know..." she added, "I have no use for a man who's too afraid of himself, let alone li'l old me, to do what needs to be done. Man up soon or we're all dead."  
Those words dripped like nectar, and her eyes maintained that seductive, piercing gaze.

**Just. Like. The rest.**

It infuriated the avian, and all he could do in response was remove her from his sight.  
"Whatever." His eyes returned forward, focusing on the growing monolith on the horizon. Though fuming, he tried to recall the days of his youth, back when the two of them ruled the world.

= = = = =  
_  
"Don't lose sight of 'em!"_

"I can't watch him if this one's still on my tail! Take care of it!"

Falco snorted and shook his head at his Wingman's (wing-'woman') incompetence. He aimed the nose of his fighter around the asteroid field, taking his time on lining up the sights. When he finally found an opening, he let loose a volley of blaster fire, singing the wings clean off the bogey directly in front of him—consequently right behind Katt.

"Whoo! Thought I was a goner."

"We're not outta the woods yet." He opened up another line. "Sparky! You got that cruiser on radar?"

"~It's coming in fast, Boss. This rust bucket can't outrun that thing, and your fighters aren't enough for it.~" The voice was notably higher pitched, but far more coarse. "~If it were a bomber, we could take it, but the thing's _**designed**__ to take out a squadron like this.~"_

"Damn...any ideas?"

"~Fight til we die or surrender. They got about eight more fighters comin' in.~"

"~Falco, what do we do?~" Katt's voice was stressed harder as she gunned down the pilot in front of her.

The avian thought for a minute before returning to his shipwright.  
"Where they comin' from?"

"~There should be a _**REAL**__ big asteroid somewhere near you. Four of 'em are fanning around it, and another four around surrounding asteroids.~"_

"Alright, maybe you can buy us some time. It's time to use that bomb now. Hit that asteroid soon as they begin to hug the edges."

"~You sure about that? We're gonna need that thing for the...~"

"Just do it!"

"~Fiiiine, fiiiine...~"

Falco and Katt turned tail to bait the fighters further into the belt. The enemy had already made a mistake in chasing them in here, and to top it off, they were approaching from one direction while the gang still had an assault craft in use.

"~Falco, if you're doing what I think you're doing, you're completely crazy!~"

"Just trust me!"

Just as the fighters began to skim the edge of their approach vector, a bright flash signaled the release of that aforementioned bomb, slamming directly into the giant asteroid. Fragments of rock and ice pummeled nearly all eight of the attackers, leaving Katt and Falco to finish off the two who were shocked but still in fighting shape.

"~Wow...can't believe that actually worked.~" 'Sparky' marveled over the comm link.

"How're things on your end?"

"~Took a bit of shrapnel, but we're good. Lost alotta the shield, though. We don't have enough to take a hit from that cruiser.~"

"Good. Katt, get back to the Sky Claw. We're outta here."

"~But...~"

"Don't 'but' me. I know what I'm doing."

The two of them began to make for a landing, with Katt docking first. But as soon as she was inside the docking bay's field, Falco veered off in the direction of the cruiser that was currently chasing them.

"~What the &%# ? Falco, what are you _**doing?**__~"_

"Don't take it personally, Katt, but you only woulda gotten in my way. I'munna show them why I'm the best there is on this turf!"

= = = = =

Your name is Dash Bowman.

A number of TRINKETS are scattered about your room. Your furniture is littered with a variety of vials and other containers holding weird, glowing CHEMICALS. You have a passion for GENETIC MANIPULATION, but you are NOT VERY GOOD AT IT. After all, you _are_ Daddy's li'l biochemist!  
You have a variety of interests, including playing SPORTS, watching incredibly BAD MOVIES, playing PRACTICAL JOKES on other kids, piloting STAR FIGHTERS, and double crossing your uncle and his evil legacy for the good of your Cornerian ENEMY. Or whatever else it is Venomian teenagers do these days. You also spend some time playing unbelievably outdated point-and-click narrated adventure games on your DATAPAD.  
You've just reached your fifteenth birthday, and your EVIL UNCLE ANDREW has left you an UNOPENED PRESENT sitting at the foot of what you would perceive to be your bed, were it not covered in TRINKETS and test tubes full of WEIRD ECTOPLASMIC GENETIC SHIT.

What will you do?

Retrieve Present.

You decide to retrieve your present—rich with the aromas of fatherly (Uncle-y) cologne and body odor—but in the process, knock over an Erlenmeyer flask, releasing a highly concentrated acid onto your floor. Hilarity ensues.

Clean the Mess.

You cannot clean the mess, as you are too busy flipping the fuck out due to the ACID eating through more test tubes full of more STRANGE MATERIAL eating through your floor.

Chill Out.

You decide to ignore the mess for now. Some problems solve themselves, after all.

Open Present.

You examine the contents of the present, decorated in cardboard paper. Your Uncle never was very good at wrapping presents. Then again, he was never really good at anything.  
You retrieve two things from the gift box:  
1) A VOODOO DOLL in the guise of Fox McCloud. THAT'S going on the mantle! It looks like your EVIL UNCLE ANDREW already played with it a little bit, as you notice several laser burns adorning his fuzzy mug.  
2) A copy of GENETIC MANIPULATION FOR DUMMIES, THIRD EDITION. This will indubitably come in handy for next week's science project.

You decide you will cherish and use these gifts wisely and responsibly. After all, in the hands of a CUNNING PRANKSTER or a BRILLIANT GENETICIST, these could become weapons of mass destruction.

You are neither of these things.

What will you do?

Examine G-Zero poster.

You examine the G-ZERO POSTER hanging on your wall. You find it impossible to peel your eyes away from the racing antics of the suave and cunning MAJOR HAWK. It is your favorite game of all time, and you one day aspire to race among the likes of the Major, once you're done saving the Lylat System from your EVIL UNCLE ANDREW. This poster is your wisest purchase.

= = = = =

The young monkey was seated in front of a floating datapad on which his guise occupied a world much like his own. Much like the rest of his family, he was multi-talented in the way of science, and often occupied his time in similarly ingenious—albeit far more innocent—ventures. The character on screen in the program he had written...that is, _himself_...gave him, in a way, some sort of comfort in his unusual predicament. Comedy heals all wounds, after all.

Even having just begun, there was no rest for the heir to the most terrifying legacy the system had ever witnessed. A separate window opened on top of the program, forcing a groan from the simian: his Uncle was calling for him.  
Dash jabbed a weary finger at the image of Oikonny's floating face, prompting a connection with the sender.

"Sir?"

"~Get to the lookout, Bowman. It's important.~"

After the short exchange, the link closed, and Oikonny's nephew was left in silence once more. Seems those exchanges were all too familiar. Despite their relation, the two seemed to share nothing in common, with the younger merely a victim of circumstance.  
Without wasting a moment, Dash turned his machine off and stuffed it into a satchel at his side, threw his coat on and left with his baggage. If this exchange was going to go how he thought it was...he would have his chance to finally leave.

He turned to see living quarters far more spacious and luxurious than his 'game' had implied. Every luxury and comfort was at his disposal, and from the far wall of this lobby he could see the great expanse of the Venomian landscape beneath his great tower.  
_A gilded cage,_ he thought to himself.

Quick feet carried him to an elevator shaft leading straight up, still allowing a view of the world below. Everything shrunk, sank into the space beyond his vision. From the other side of this window, he spotted everything a self-sustaining city would need: the multi-tiered hanging farms scattered haphazardly throughout the complex, the power plants concentrated towards the center, the oxygen plant, and the complex system of transportation that weaved through the installation like glimmering veins...the only thing that ascended higher than this tower were the rain shields in honeycomb pattern, glowing a faint orange hue. It would have been almost beautiful, were it not so sinister.

He glanced up to see that he had reached the spire where the appointed meeting would take place. His feet again pattered in rhythm, no sooner than the door had opened, wasting no time in meeting his uncle. The rain shields met high above the turret, coming together almost perfectly under another rounded umbrella, like the top point of a circus tent. Though through the opaque spaces in the shields, the poisonous atmosphere still peered through to the blood red insignia expanded evenly on the surface of the platform. Dash glanced over his shoulder at the spire expanding from the elevator he had just ridden. Like the tooth of some monstrosity, it loomed over him, casting a shadow with his Uncle at the very point of the jagged tip. His back was turned, adorned in red and white robes only a self worshiping madman would wear.

Fearlessly, the young simian approached.

"This is about the Anglars, isn't it?"

"Is that how you call to your Uncle? Don't think you can address me like that just because we share the same blood."

Dash stopped several paces away, still situated in the shade. "...sir, is this about the Anglars?"

Oikonny subtly glanced over his shoulder. "As we've discussed, we'll have to use them earlier than we'd anticipated. But I don't trust them to act in Venom's best interests."

"I see." Dash attempted to withhold his satisfaction. There had been much talk about Venom's usage of his Great Uncle's magnum opus. But they were a new element, and no one trusted that they would obey any authority but their own. Their creator was the only one they seemed to respect, and this was something that deeply troubled Oikonny.  
"You need someone to accompany them and keep them honest, is that it, sir?"

"I'm glad we understand eachother." His uncle turned around at last, much to Dash's alarm. He looked considerably older and more twisted than before. Almost...frightening, rather than his usual, unintentionally goofy demeanor.  
"Make no mistake, Bowman, this is what we've been training you for since day one. You haven't won anyone's respect yet, but if you succeed...let's just say you know how you'll be rewarded."

_"If" I succeed. He intends to get rid of me, doesn't he? A fifteen year old kid commanding legions and advising others._  
"Understood, sir."

"You have two weeks...I suggest you prepare for the worst. You'll receive additional information at a later date."

"Duly noted."

"Now go."

Dash acknowledged him and turned around, briskly reaching the elevator once more. Oikonny couldn't see it, but Dash held a visceral smile from ear to ear.

He had just handed his nephew the keys to the kingdom. The Cosmic Castaway will be very pleased...


	36. Chapter 36: Non Necessitant

Chapter 36: …Non Necessitant

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

_"A bombing...? On Macbeth? Hwa...you gotta be pullin' my leg."_

"You sound scared."

"I ain't no coward. But that's suicide."

"Strange. I believe I was told the Sargasso mercenaries would take any job."

"Yeah, but this..."

"I ain't with them anymore, see? That bastard O'Donnell kicked me off a hot minute ago."

"So you won't take it? You're getting paid for standby. That means I might not even need your services."

"I never said that. But I might need a little more _**incentive**__, if ya know what I mean. Hwa-hwa..."_

"Mm. O'Donnell's planning on hitting it anyway."

"Eh? How d'you know something like that? What're ya trying to do here, anyway?"

"You let _**me**__ worry about that."_

"The targets you wanna hit are training centers. They're so tight not even a rat could fit through that system, and all yer' doin' is killin' off a bunch-a greenhorns. If you _**really**__ wanted ta hit 'em hard, ye'd hit the supply depot on __**this**__ hemisphere. So what's the point?"_

"Still, the point is to strike them in the heart."

"That's dumb."

"Maybe. Lucky for you, that also makes a good deal. And if it were so unimportant, why would they assign three of Star Fox there?"

"Heh-heh...so about that payment...my back's been actin' up. A hundred grand might not be enough to get by with this job, y'know what I'm sayin'?"

"150,000 credits is the most I'll give you."

"Heh...you think I'm stupid? I know what yer' doin'. Yer' already willin' to go higher, but yer' short-sellin' me to meet that goal. Even the original hundred was low fer somethin' like this."

"You're not as dumb as you look. Two-hundred thousand. Final offer."

"Two-fifty."

"This is already the biggest offer you've had since Andross, and you're trying to push it higher?"

"You should feel lucky I'm comin' this close to yer' quota at all. Gwa-ha..."

"Fine. Keep pushing your luck, though, and we can't afford to hire you again."

"Don't sweat it. I ain't cheap, but I do a damn good job."

"Don't disappoint me."

"Hey...can't say I got yer name before. How am I gonna get paid if I dunno how ta find you?"

"I found you, didn't I? I'll know if you succeed or not."

"So what do I call ya?"

"Hm...for now, call me Bismarck."

= = = = =

"No no no no no. Your turn is too sharp. You're just dodging fire, you aren't trying to get inside his...yes, yes just like that. Good."

"How do they look, Peppy?" Fox and Krystal both approached the aging hare in the control tower overlooking the flight line. Eight pilots swarmed the skies, performing field exercises. At the very least, they were somewhat advanced, to warrant so many in the same airspace. Several more were undoubtedly taking notes on the lesson somewhere.

"Not bad, but not good, either." he clicked his side of the comm link off while he spoke with Fox.  
"They might be able to fight toe to toe with Oikonny's forces, but only one to one."

"Mm...average, then." Fox crossed his arms, gazing up at the multitude of fighters.

"It looks as though they only play by the book," noted Krystal. "They're far oo predictable."  
Unlike these squadrons had been up until now, she had been fortunate enough to receive instruction from the entire team of all-stars—sans their amphibious engineer.

Peppy nodded, visibly impressed by the observation. "Ironically, even some of the most seasoned veterans lack the creativity to even consider trying anything outside what the academy teaches them. Like Krystal says...if any enemy even considers looking into it, they have a vice grip on the flow of combat."

"So should we just teach them techniques and strategies?" Krystal motioned her head towards the hare, but never took her eyes off the pilots.

"We'll have to do that, yes. They're far too concerned with formations, and I'm beginning to think that's the only reason they haven't had a collision yet." he adjusted his glasses. "But they also need a lot of basic work."

"What do you mean?"

"Reflexes. Health. The usual." He shook his head, ears bouncing about, "Some of them can't even do a barrel roll."

"Fox, what do you think?"

The vulpine stroked his chin for a few moments, soon reaching a verdict.  
"I'm sure they remember the basics. Keep up what you're doing and get them in the habit of using them. After that, combat sims. Teach them everything we know—hiding in the sun, hugging the edge, freefalls, barrel rolls—whatever you can come up with."

He made his way back to the elevator, motioning for Krystal to follow.  
"Keep in touch. We're gonna put on a show."

= = = = =

Titania's expeditionary unit had already set up a perimeter around the ruins that Falco and company now faced. They gazed upwards at the towering structure, marveling at how it hadn't been spotted before. Something about the sandstorms caused a great deal of interference with most of their sensor equipment, so very little of what was out there actually made its way into their navigators' view. It was only by the grace of their recent excavation on Venom that they had been allowed to find this place.  
Then again...had they not been fooling around to begin with, Oikonny might not have struck early. Although he probably would have attacked anyway a few years down the line. Right...?

Falco shook the thought out of his head. He hated thinking about complicated stuff like that. It was much easier just to point and shoot.

Behind him, the others approached, all lightly armed—equipped like more of a patrol unit than anything else. After all, what could they possibly find here that would pose so much of a threat?  
Ahead of them, stretching around the entire length of the structure, a floating band of light slithered through small posts, displaying 'do not cross' through the entire length. The area was further supervised by a meager amount of security forces.

"Ready, little man?" Katt released the safety on her sidearm as they crept past the illusory caution tape. The light broke, forming up again after the entire quartet had passed through.

"Ready as I need to be," he muttered. He turned his beak to Ursa, jerking his head to imply he was to take point. The bear complied, and Tora fell behind to take the rear of the convoy.

"Whaddya think we'll find?" The curious bear growled. His gravelly voice, though lowered almost to a whisper, echoed throughout the caverns they were now entering.

"Hopefully we can find that device and get the hell out," Tora was nonchalantly strolling about. The terrain was much easier to traverse, if only due to the rocky footing and lack of sand. "If we're lucky, we won't get skewered like last time."

Falco gritted his teeth at Ursa's responsive chuckle. Seems they almost remembered those times fondly.  
"Yeah, well...this time we ain't splitting up. We can take 'em down if they show up this time."

"Falco, you don't seem to be doing too well." Katt, third one down the line, leaned over to get a look at the avian.  
"I'm _fine._ Even if **he** shows up, I was hoping for a rematch anyway."

The corridors...they were familiar. As if he'd been here before. Last time he had visited a set of ruins in the wasteland, they were designed just like this one. All around them, the walls snaked upwards into an arching ceiling and coiling back to the ground below, as if this had once been formed by an ocean. Yet the further they ventured, the more artificial it became. The walls and the ground soon smoothed out, with etchings and carvings covering increasing amounts of the rocky surface. Even the ground displayed murals of great beasts and epic tales, until every inch of their surrounding sang a symphony of greatness and terror. At one time, this had been the home of the early settlers, but those days had come and gone.

And the gangster-turned-hero had never counted history as a strong point, anyway. The sooner he could let off a few shots, the better.

"Katt, where to?" Ursa paused in the middle of a four way junction, halting their formation. The ceiling above them had been decorated in a dome structure, depicting all sorts of monstrosities rushing eachother in what could only be described as a climactic battle. Everything in sight was dimly illuminated in the fluorescent gems fastened into strategic points in the walls and ground, usually taking the place of a figure's eyes or clothing, or the stars above. It depicted the intersection in a soft, golden hue.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing. We aren't gonna split up." One junction, four paths. It was begging them to divide. "We'll take a slight left. If they decoded these entries properly, they should all lead roughly to different elevations in the same area. I figure if we take the one leading to the center of the chamber we're trying to get to..."

"We get it. Let's mosey," hissed the impatient tiger. Still arrogantly loafing around, he suspiciously aimed his blaster down the hall from which they had approached. He hadn't seem or heard anything, but past experiences had taught him better.

The small squad soon arrived in a conspicuously large hallway. The first thing Falco noticed, after the size...was the uncharacteristic dampness in the air. He paused to drop to one knee, curiously running a hand along the ground. Retracting his hand, he found his feathers...wet?

"It's wet and cool and here. I mean...not really 'cool,' but...not hot like it is out there." Ursa likewise ran a gargantuan paw across the wall, clicking his nails in the etchings on the walls. This time the elaborate designs depicted a disastrous fire, being extinguished by a giant flood.

"It's beautiful..." Katt's eyes traced every inch of the hallway, more darkly lit than the previous chamber. Her eyes rested on a particularly attractive gemstone protruding from the eyes of an amphibious looking creature scrawled into the wall.

"Okay, great. Take a photo so we can move on and..." Tora turned from his position and made a double take in Katt's direction. "Uh...yo, what is she doing?"

The other two spotted her frozen in position while yanking a glimmering ruby from the wall.  
"...what?"

"...nothing. Hurry up."  
'No souvenirs,' they'd been told. This was technically a cultural site, as were all the ruins on this spinning dirt ball. But since they were ransacking something pretty significant anyway, why the hell not?

They continued for what seemed like an eternity, until finally the light greeted their eyes. The doorway ahead welcomed them into an immense chamber, filled with golden light from an aperture at the very top of the domed ceiling. The blast of sunlight shone down into the cupped hands of the tremendous statue of a horse.

"No way!" Ursa lowered his weapon to marvel at the sight. They had stepped out into a viewing platform situated on the wall opposite to the statue, able to see the distant ground over the edge. On either side sat three similar platforms, which is probably where they would have ended up had they taken any other path at that intersection. Expanding all the way to those cupped hands, small platforms were haphazardly scattered high and low, mounted on pikes, welcoming any adventurer to cross the gorge and claim their treasure.

"That HAS to be it." Katt pointed to the spherical object in the hands of the equine sentinel.  
"We haven't seen a single sign of any bio weapons, and this would have been extremely difficult to find without the aid of Venom's own information."

"Great." Falco holstered his blaster, examining his surroundings. "Let's grab it so we can go."

"Hold on." Insisted Ursa. "We dunno if these platforms can hold, and since that's our only way across—"

"Might not hold for _your_ fatass, you mean."

Ursa responded by smacking the jungle cat on the back of the head.  
"Anyway, we should call it in. We could easily drop in through the ceiling up there."

"Why'd we come here to begin with, then?"

"Well, _obviously,_ we didn't know it could have been so easy."

"Whatever. I'll call it in." Falco poked at the communicator in his ear, jerking himself off the wall.  
"Charlie Company, this is Lombardi. We found the device. We can airlift it, but we need you guys here."

He lowered his hand, staring at the ground for a response. Several moments passed, but no one answered.

He prodded the side of his head again. "Charlie Company, this is Lombardi. Do you read?"

Again there was no answer, much to his team's bewilderment. "Yo! Charlie Company! Wakey-wakey!"

Nothing.

The pilot cursed and grabbed the mic from his ear, letting his feathered hand drop to his side. The signal read strong, and it was definitely connected with their unit, which meant that the comm link was still up. Everything was still active and fully operational. So why wasn't there a response?

"Maybe they're tied up...?" Ursa suggested.

"With what? They have nothing to do, especially now that we're here." Katt tilted her head, strutting over to Falco. "Well, what now, hero?"

"Tch...make like a baby and head out. I'm sick of this place." He jammed the device back into his ear and made for the doorway.

"Uh...Falco..." Katt melodically called his name, hinting at something worth his attention.

"What is it?" The avian stopped, and noticed the subtle shadows darkening the surfaces in front of him. Which would have meant...  
His gaze met with the portal in the sealing, where he saw several figures standing around. It was in the middle of the blinding light, but he could barely make out three spots in his field of vision.

"What the...?" He didn't have time to finish that statement, as two of the figures tumbled down through the air like a ragdoll, buffeting the side of the statue's left hand with his head and spiralling off into the abyss.  
And as far as Falco had noticed the two bodies bore the armor and insignia of the patrol unit outside.  
The alarmed group had no time to consider the events before a solid wall of blaster fire began to thrash the platform they stood upon.

"GET DOWN!" Falco immediately fell to a crouch, taking cover behind the elevated edge of the platform. "WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"**No shit!**"

The assault haulted for a moment, allowing Falco and Ursa to peek out from their cover. The bird barely spotted a figure falling into a graceful landing on the stature before flinging several throwing knives in their direction.  
Falco ducked in time, but Ursa was not so fortunate. He crashed to the ground, roaring in pain at the small knife now snuggled into his cheek.

"Kekekeke..." the attacker chortled, "'Wakey-wakey'? They aren't gonna wake up any time soon."

"Who the hell is that?"

Falco thought for a moment, and he wasn't at all surprised when he peeked out again.

"Who else? It's Leon Fucking Powalski!"

= = = = =  
_  
"~The Anglars are on their way via Sector X. They'll be on Katina in about two weeks."_

"Perfect. That gives us time to prepare, and the CDF Third Fleet should already be in the area to liberate Sauria."

"~Yeah...if you wanna hit Sargasso sometime soon, now would be the time.~"

"The CDF thinks it's a waste of time. I'm on my way to Macbeth to make sure the Sargasso crew doesn't make too much of a mess."

"~But Fox and them can handle it, right?~"

"Yeah, but at what cost? If we leave it up to Star Fox...they'll always win. But there will always be ludicrous collateral damage. They're the only ones who always make it through unscratched."

"~I guess.~"

"What about the Sector Z traverse?"

"~It's a non-issue. My uncle wants to save that for last since there's...pretty much nothing in that direction, except for the neighboring Sargasso region.~"

"Perfect."

"~Huh?~"

"Don't worry about it. Hey, do me a favor real quick. You still have that second encryption I sent you?"

"~Yeah. You want me to send it to our benefactor?~"

"Yeah. I'm gonna have to freeze everything before we get to Sector X."

"~You do realize that most of your plan leans on everyone being their usual, idiotic selves, right?~"

"Yeah, that IS a bit of a stretch. But it's only my Plan A...that's why I set it up so that no matter what happens, we benefit."

"~Hey, can you tell me what you're planning?~"

"Writing history, my friend. Writing history."

= = = = =

Hours passed, with the three would-be instructors constantly drilling and directing their students.  
Though slow and unwilling at first, the new squadrons showed significant improvement. Though still by and large unable to come up with new approaches to old solutions, they eventually absorbed Peppy's idea of teamwork, Fox's pension for creative solutions, and Krystal's unfettered mind.

It was encouraging to see their progress, and though the implications of another bloody conflict stood on the horizon, the satisfaction that Fox and company reaped from this otherwise peaceful mission was great. Yet the three of them knew exactly what they were up against, and what was at stake.

The trainees were not so wise; cocky, loud, proud...oblivious. Fox watched each of them pass, cracking jokes, bragging about their kill counts, the usual proud confidence of a pilot.  
_I was like that, once._ The vulpine thought to himself. Pilots were infamously free-spirited, the typically perceived man's-man. They soared high, knowing the thrills of an almost symbiotic connection with the sky. A special breed, to be sure.

Finding himself almost disgusted by their behavior, he recalled the words the human had spoken almost an eternity ago.  
_I may not look like it...but I'm not too fond of killing. Not even my enemies, really. Some cry, some scream for help, others cry for their mama. I prefer to kill them nice and easy. From a distance. It's easier when you don't have to see their faces._

Fox had never seen dogfighting the same way. It had been so easy before, even if only because he was gunning down a machine, not a real person—at least from the cockpit's perspective. Lance Callahan had pointed out that few, if any pilots acknowledged that there was a living, breathing person behind the throttle. They neglected the weight of their job, measuring their own value—as well as their opponents—on the push of a button.  
It may have been a necessary evil, but never something he should have been proud of. This awareness drove him away from the scene.

As he exited the lobby to the command hall, Krystal rushed to his side.  
"Ugh, Fox, these people are so _crass._"

"I know. I can't believe we're _helping_ them."

"Did you notice how they were staring at me? One of them keeps trying to buy me drinks."

"What? Oh that isn't going to fly at all." He immediately about-faced to head off towards the small mob. For some reason, his impatience had almost completely broken within just the last few minutes, with this last revelation pushing him to the brink.

"Wh—Fox, it can wait! This doesn't—"

"No, they need a piece of...Fara?" Fox's fury subsided when he nearly ran into a diminutive fennec fox confined to a wheelchair, smiling up at him with wide eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Same thing you are. Whipping some respect into these bozos."

"Fara Phoenix?" Krystal stepped out from behind Fox. "They told us you were on Corneria?"

"I was. Till just now. The brass thought they needed more hotshots on the front line." she almost seemed disgruntled at the idea, irritably leaning on one arm rest. "My students are the _best._ Except for that monkey you got on your team...so they thought they'd send me out here for a while."

"Well, it'll be great to have you around. I'm sure we'll do fine with you heading the effort."

"Yeeeaaah, but I do a lot better with Greenhorns. These guys already have experience—it's a lot harder to teach someone who already thinks they know everything."

"They're learning from us just fine."

"They respect you. I'm a gimp."

Fox winced at her bluntness. It was always in her nature, yet he had never gotten used to it.

"Anyway, Fox, the _real_ reason I'm here before you is because that same monkey I mentioned has been trying to get a hold of you all day. I'm surprised they didn't call you down to CQ to pick up that damn call earlier."

"Lance has been trying to call us?"

"Yeah. He's complaining that you turned your communicator off altogether." She snickered. "Didn't think you were _that_focused."

"Uh...yeah. I guess I should go...take that now."

"Probably."

"Alright, well...catch you later, then. We'll have to catch up sometime."

"Will do." Fara began to rotate the wheelchair, stopping momentarily. "Oh, and Krystal, darlin'."

The blue vixen glanced back, surprised to be addressed so softly by someone so obviously jealous of their relationship.

"I saw you out there. You've made a lot of improvement since we last met."

"Ah...thank you very much!" she nodded (or perhaps bowed?) her head in acknowledgment, and broke their gaze to join at Fox's side.

Fara, satisfied, wandered back off to her own business.

= = = = =

"Lance?"

"~Jesus Christ, Fox, I been trying to get a hold of you for an hour.~"

"Uh...got side tracked."

"~Uh-huh. Free time with Krys?~"

"Eh? No, it's not like that! I mean..."

"~Not that I care, really. I got bigger news.~"

"Lemme hear it."

"~Oikonny's on Sauria for no reason. I'm on my way back now.~"

"Why would it...wait, you're **coming back?**"

"~That's what I said.~"

"You were specifically ordered to..."

"~I don't _take_ orders from the federation. Even if I did, their orders were to "handle" things on Sauria. Since there was nothing _to_ handle but to dismantle their forward operating unit.~"

"They're what?"

"~They only had one real command set up at the time. ThornTail Hollow. They were looking for the Guardian and the Krazoa Spirits, but there's nothing here but dead trees and cold ash.  
…...so to speak.~"

Fox was flabbergasted. "Uhhhhhhh okay. Exactly how do six ungodly powerful spirits disappear, along with the very vessel that you arrived in?"

"~Well, I destroyed the Guardian personally, but I can't speak for the spirits.~"

"Okay...so basically, not only did you decide to destroy a priceless, technological artifact..."

"~If it was so priceless, why didn't the CDF seize it when I first got here? They _didn't even try_ to study it, and it fell into Fang's hands afterwards. It's useless, Fox, and the information on that thing is dangerous to us all.~"

Fox stored that piece of information away. It was unlike Lance to say something so revealing, and Fox had gained his habit of drawing conclusions for tiny details.  
"So as I was _saying,_ not only did you destroy something so significant without consulting anyone, you also left without even trying to figure out how or why, or even to where the Krazoas just...disappeared?"

"~Ghosts don't leave trails, Fox. I fully intend to return to Sauria, but I'd need a psychic for that.~"

"We're not going down that road, Lance. You're not taking Krystal with you."

"Fox? Who is that?" From Lance's end, Krystal came into view on screen, several feet behind Fox. "Is that Lance?"

"~Awfully possessive now, aren't you?~"

"Lance, what's gotten into you?" Fox threw up his arms at the hologram before him. "How can you treat this so lightly? I mean...I already kinda expected you'd be doing your own thing, but...you're just..."

"~Just 'what,' Fox?~"

"Are you even aware what they're _saying_ about you?"

"~You're gonna have to elaborate.~"

"You know the media's always been on your tail, right? Well now the **higher-ups** have their eye on you. They're bringing up that thing again, that you're the next Andross! They don't trust anything you do! Don't you understand that?"

"~And this means...?~"

Fox gaped at him, throwing up an arm again. "Are you serious? YOU reflect on US! When has there ever been a war that was won without the public support?"

"~You let _me_ worry about that.~"

"What does _that_ mean?"

"~Just what it sounds like.~"

"Lance, please just tell me what's going on." Fox struggled to maintain composure, pushing off as much of a sympathetic vibe as he could.  
"They're trying to say can't detect **ANY** transmissions from you, even when you report having sent them. And you remember those archives on Venom? They're also saying that the data you supplied them was incomplete. Lance, there were no records of communications technology in those documents!"

"~Sounds like the two are related. Funny how that works.~"

"Lance!"

"~It sounds to me like you already know the answer. And to be honest, Fox, I'm a little disappointed at your surprise.~"

"A confession? ...that was...straightforward."

"~Can you put it past me? You already knew I'm that type of guy. And with what you just said, it proves I made the right move.~"

"What? How?"

"~How would the CDF know something like that unless they're seriously watching me? That tells me they've put the ISR Agency up my ass.~"

_God dammit._  
"Okay, well...I _may_ have left that little detail out of the job description. Whenever we're contracted, we submit full records of..."

"~I know. And I can't have that.~"

"This is serious! They think you're cavorting with Venom! And Senator Reynolds thinks you're building a secret army!"

"~That's troublesome. I hear he's the loudest and most obnoxious one.~"

"God damnit, Lance. Do you have anything that I _can_ work with?"

"~From some of the data Slippy mined from the comm tower down on Sauria, it looks like Oikonny's already moving a fleet through the Sector Z traverse. We think he's trying to surround the inner planets.~"

"And now you've got Slippy in your...but he's with us right _now_! How did you...you know what? Nevermind. I don't even wanna know. Continue."

"~Furthermore, this fleet is almost exclusively composed of those 'Anglars' mentioned in the archives. I'm coming to deliver some sensitive data with just about everything I know about them.~"

Another mistake...wasn't it?  
"Lance, how did you get information like that?"

"~Already told you. Slippy wiped the comm tower clean.~"

"But it would have to be flowing freely over the network for something like that to work! They don't just store information in a tower like that."

"~Once we implanted a worm into the system, they tried to back up everything they had. _Everything_ was on the network. That was the plan, Fox.~"

"I dunno, Lance. The CDF isn't gonna take too kindly to any of this..."

"~I've been with you guys for a majority of my citizenship here. When would I have ever found the time for stuff like that?~"

Fox wondered to himself. _Does this have anything to do with why he's hiding all this stuff about the Guardian...? Maybe it isn't really destroyed...or maybe someone got their hands on that information he's talking about? Or the technology, maybe? Or worse yet...he's already withheld vital science from the CDF...it would be in line with his character to keep something like the Guardian out of reach. Maybe that's why he's going back to Sauria, but why would he need Krystal? Is he really planning on finding the Krazoa again?  
He's hiding something...and he doesn't want us anywhere near it. Does he really think he can fool us into sending a fleet through Sector Z?_

"~Uh, Fox, you still there?~"

"Yeah. I'm here."  
_I'll have to look into it later._  
"How long til you get here?"

"~I'd say about a couple hours or s—"

The transmission was ended with a quake that rocked the foundation around them. Fox nearly lost his footing, and Krystal, who had been present for the majority of the exchange, grasped onto the railing to avoid a similarly unfortunate fall. The lights went out, suddenly replaced by blood red emergency lights and the blaring of attack sirens.

"What is—? Are we under attack?" Krystal forced herself down the hall, followed closely by Fox. The building rocked violently again, knocking them into the wall. Racing down the hallways, the two emerged into the foyer, greeted by the sight of singed control towers and exploding aircraft outside. Everyone was scrambling to either evacuate, find cover or get to their fighters.

"Who would have the gall to attack us _here?_" The two pilots stared out at the landing strip until those familiar wicked, sickle-shaped wings blasted through, directly in front of the window.

"**Star Wolf.**"


	37. Chapter 37: Dance of Thorns

Chapter 37: Dance of Thorns

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
_  
"Remind me again why you plan to send an entire fleet through highly occupied enemy territory without any backup?"_

"They won't be without backup. Lance Callahan will be there, and the Third Fleet is already en route to liberate Sauria."

"Is that wise? What makes you think that human of all people will help you?"

"Given the circumstances, he'll have no choice but to help us, in order to salvage what little he has left of his reputation. If not, we'll be one step closer to ousting him to the furthest corner of the universe."

"One man can't possibly make that much of a difference. I believe you're over-thinking this."

"Did you _**read**__ the reports on Sauria? NO ONE should be able to do that. Whatever he's got going for him, he can turn the war in anyone's favor. And if what the ISRA says is true..."_

"Ah yes, the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency. The very organization that seems to be in bed with Callahan. Do you really believe their reports, General?"

"You doubt the CDF's own esteemed agents now?"

"With all due respect, sir, they ARE the ones claiming that Callahan's most well guarded messages cannot be traced. And it makes sense when the law enforcement's own surveillance teams report that Callahan and Brigadier General Shears have been maintaining extended contact."

"Shears may or may not be lying to us, but those exchanges have been verified by every possible source we can come up with, including the law itself. The two are working in tandem towards Venom's defeat...not to build some secret organization as you would have the Senate believe."

"And yet you still fear Callahan."

"Fear is a strong word, Admiral."

"Might I remind you that he was the one to commission Beltino and his son to build those new weapons on that very fleet that you want to send through Sector X?"

"I am fully aware of his sphere of influence, Admiral, and that extends little further than Star Fox's connections. Are you also aware that he has involved Lucy Hare?"

"Peppy Hare's daughter? Really?"

"He's been using them this whole time, I'm sure of it—and if we can convince them to discharge him from their unit, he will lose all his support."

"I'm not so sure about that. He seems to know exactly which buttons to push to stir unrest...which brings me back to my original question: why do you want to send my fleet further towards Venom?"

"Because that's where Callahan is headed."

"I beg your pardon? We're sending 50,000 souls towards the most dangerous region in history because of one mere man?"

"There is nothing "mere" about that _**man. *COUGH-COUGH***__ He is after a power that will ravage Venom—and us, should he choose to do so. We've seen its technology in action, and it happens to be the very item that brought him here."_

"You are referring, of course, to that which he calls the 'Guardian,' correct?"

"Indeed. We just received a transcript from ISRA, detailing a recent exchange between Fox McCloud and Lance Callahan, noting that this Guardian is allegedly 'destroyed,' by Callahan's own hand, no less."

"Ah...you think he's lying. Understandably, of course."

"Precisely. *WHEEZE* He has expressed intent to return to this region, in spite of emphasizing the importance of guarding the Sector Z traverse."

"I was told that Sector Z would be the third front in the campaign?"

"That information originated from General Shears' desk, correct?"

"..."

"You were right to suspect General Shears, Admiral. I didn't mean to criticize your judgment—I just wanted to make you think. They've been handing us a trail of bread crumbs leading to Sector Z as a prime target. But they tried too hard...they've made their intent to lead us to the opposite side of the system too obvious. All the more reason for us to beat him to whatever he's trying to find."

"So it's true. This is treason."

"There's nothing we can do about it now...other than this one slip, Shears is integral to our victory. As soon as he has outlived his use, we can try him for his crime."

"Better sooner than later, I say. The way you talk, I could almost mistake you for Callahan himself."

"It's a shame, really. *COUGH...* He's been forcing us to stay on our toes. He's sneaky...we can only cope by acting accordingly."

"Be wary you don't end up like him. It sounds like you believe in the morality of your own sins."

"That is my fear. But still...better us than him. This is our duty."

"At the very least, we can make use of what we've learned from him. His vision combined with Slippy's, Beltino's and Lucy's ingenuity...it's brilliant, really. With that on our side, perhaps we can have a chance to survive through whatever Venom throws at us."

"Does that mean I've convinced you then?"

"You've convinced me that Callahan is as great a threat as Venom. I'll go...but only because we have no other choice."

"Understood. Don't worry, I'm sure you can handle it."

"Thank you, General. In the event we fail to return, please make sure our efforts were not wasted."

"Understood. Godspeed, Admiral. *COUGH COUGH...**_WHEEZE...*_**_"_

"On another note...you should really do something about that cough, General."  


"Wolf!"

"~Heheheh, hey there, Fox...long time, no see!~" The menacing silhouette of the Wolfen star fighter circled back to the window. Even as it soared, Wolf's voice somehow broke through to the vulpine's communicator. "~Been waiting a loooong time for a rematch.~"

"How did you...?" Fox glanced between his device and the window, at the approaching fighter.

"~You didn't think we'd come in without knowing exactly where to find whatever we needed, did you? Of course...spotting you out is just a bonus, but still...heheh...~"

Fox and Krystal exchanged grim glances and took off down the adjacent corridor towards the terminal, the madness outside remaining visible the whole stretch. Running out to their Arwings would be suicide right now, but they had no other options. With any luck, the Wolfens would be too busy tearing apart the flightline or fending off the few who _had_ made it into the air.

Or maybe they wouldn't be so lucky; "~Where ya goin', Fox? Aren't we gonna have a little reunion?~"  
Within seconds of running, a flurry of laser fire from the Wolfen blasted open the window nearest to Fox, scorching the interior hallways. The two pilots faltered for a second, but regained their composure just in time to take cover behind a ravaged staircase.

"He can't be serious!" shouted Krystal. A blinding green flash pummeled a nearby wall, prompting her to clutch her head and duck down. "Is he hovering outside? How is he holding a firing position?"

"He's a bounty hunter...that kind of option is good for catching prey on foot."

"~Which means I don't intend to let you get to your Arwing this time. Heheh...where is that old tin can, anyway?~"

Fox nodded to Krystal, removing themselves from cover to dash further down the stretch.

"~Aha! GOTCHA!~" More laser fire pelted the land around them. Fox pumped his legs to keep up with the assault, glancing for a split second in Wolf's direction before sidestepping behind a protruding wall, disappearing from sight. He emerged from the other side of the scaffolding, vaulting over a reception desk. Another bolt barely missed his head as he landed.  
Krystal wasn't faring too badly, either, partially due to not being the main target. Even so, she seemed to be gracefully skating by any serious problems. Then again...the extrasensory perception couldn't have hurt.

As they approached a checkpoint, Krystal pulled out her staff, jaming the point into the edge of a reception station and vaulted up onto the walkway above.  
"Fox! Get up here!"

"~Veeeeery clever. Trying to stay out of my line of sight by taking the high ground.~" The nose of his Wolfen began lighting up, charging a shot. "~'course, ain't gonna help you none.~"

"Krystal, get down!"

the vixen took a sparse glance behind her, deciding to fire off a volley of fireballs directly behind her, in hopes that the charge shot trailed one of those instead. The tip of her staff lit up as she launched off the decoys.  
The shot fired—but rather than follow any of the fireballs, it impacted with one of the projectiles, preemptively exploding in mid-air, sending the Cerinian stumbling several yards off.

"KRYSTAL!" Fox came to a complete stop, using miscellaneous furniture and platforms to leap up to her position.

"I'm fine, Fox! Just run!" He heaved herself to her feet, pushing him forward while attempting to regain her balance. The two continued off, accelerating at breakneck pace as Wolf began charging up another shot. The feral bounty hunter's low drawl echoed throughout the thoroughfare, methodically pursuing his quarry.

"~Heheh...don't count on dodging another one.~"

"This is Fox McCloud! Come in, ANYONE! We need backup! STAT!"

"Come on! We're almost through the thoroughfare!" Krystal pointed ahead to a more narrowed section. The wall-sized windows stopped there, and if they were lucky enough to make it in time, they wouldn't have to worry about Wolf anymore. "Hurry!"

"We're not gonna make it in time!" Fox turned around to fire some blaster shots at the Wolfen, for whatever good it would do.

"~Don't wave that pea-shooter in my face, punk. You ain't getting off that easy!~"

"Duck!" Fox grabbed Krystal by the arm, diving directly _towards_ the charge and into the wall directly under the window. The charge slammed into the side of the outside wall, shattering the windows into a million fragments. Though cushioned from the blast, the couple felt the wave, crushed by the momentum.

"~Crafty little devil...I see where you're going.~" The Wolfen rotated towards the flight line, where Panther was still ravaging the main forces before most of them could even take off. "~Fine. Get to your Arwing...make things interesting. I'm gonna go clean up the **arena** before we get started.~"

Fox and Krystal wearily stood up just in time to see the blast of light emitting from the Wolfen's tail engines, zipping away at high speeds. Clutching their abdomens, they were still torn up from that last blast, but managed to haul themselves off towards the hangar.  
"Fox, unh...we have to hurry. We're going to lose, a lot of..."

"I'll call it in," His weary eyes turned towards what seemed like an eternal stretch, and he let out a soft groan.  
He had to get everyone evacuated, somehow. Whatever fighters who were outside right now would surely make a great distraction, but they couldn't sacrifice any more troops. Starting out his long jog, he punched in a few commands on the console on his wrist, summoning the holographic image of Peppy's disembodied head.

"~...out of the air and into Point Loma! I want every anti air cannon in...~"

"Peppy!"

"~Fox! Is Krystal with you?~"

"Right here, Peppy." Krystal barked in his direction.

"~Oh, good. I'm so glad to hear from you. I thought for sure...no time for that. Listen closely, Star Wolf brought an entire division with them. I don't know how they mustered up so much manpower, but they're tearing up all the surrounding airfields. Wolf O'Donnell and Panther Caruso are the only ones in THIS base because of you and Krystal, but they've divided their forces around the neighboring bases—they're fighting off all our main training centers as we speak.~"

"Why? Are they trying to stop...our flow of...what's the point?" Krystal looked stumped. "There are _so_ many other priorities they could be making, recruits hardly seem like a practical target."

"~I can explain that later. What matters now is how to stop them.~"

"Agreed. Can we expect backup?"

"~Bad news, no. Good news, we won't need it. They brought some kind of experimental station with them that filters communications. We can't send out a long-range SOS, but without it, they can't coordinate.~"

"Explains why my call with Lance cut out..."

"~Right. Get on it, Fox, soon as you take out Wolf and Panther, get to that station. That's all we need to do.~"

"Got it. Send Slippy my way, will you?"

"~Er...that's part of why they're attacking. Slippy's handling a particularly valuable asset right now.~"

"I see...so we're on our own."

"~Only for now. Be careful out there, Fox.~"

"Got it. We'll be in the air as soon as we can."  
And with that, the battle couple gained a second wind, running headlong into the fangs of the beast.

= = = = =

"Strange...communications cut out."  
Lance prodded an irritated finger at the screen on his console.

"~What's that?~"

"Dash, I think the Sargasso crew has a new weapon. I can't get a hold on anything from Macbeth."  
He turned to another projector, where Dash's young face sat on screen.

"~Weird...but like I said, Star Wolf and Sargasso have kinda just been doing their own thing this whole time. We don't know too much about them.~"

"Hm...I don't like this. There's no way of knowing what's going on down there."

"~Don't worry, they'll pull through.~"  
The youthful primate furrowed his brow in determination.

"Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, I won't know how to play things out unless I know whether or not they're losing down there."

"~Well, why don't you just patch me into whatever system Sargasso's set up?~"

"Patch you through? Since when do you know how to Phish?"

"~Uh...well...I'll explain it later.~"

"Daaaaash, is Makara on the other line?"

"~Just trust me! I've done that much for you so far!~"

"Fine, fine. Anyway, we can't do that. I'd have to use standard communication protocol, which would tip them off to my presence. But since we're using your Uncle's quantum entanglement methods..."

"~I get it, I get it.~"

"Which means they must be using the same jamming tech they were using on Sauria."

"~So we gotta find out where the filter is coming from.~"

"Looks like my hand is being forced."

"~Really?~"

"Yeah. I take back what I said...looks like we're tipping them off no matter what I try to do."

"~Okay, cool, but...no offense, but you're not quite the pilot that Falco or Fox are...can you really handle yourself once they DO find you?~"

"Don't worry. I won't _need_ talent for what I got stored."

"~Yeah, so...bomb the source of the interruption. That's the plan, right? Lemme know when you're ready...I'm on stand-by to track whatever's causing the disturbance.~"

"Got it. Switching back to standard comm-link now."

Dash nodded and disappeared from sight, prompting several icons on the screen to indicate he was still connected. Meanwhile, Lance punched in several commands and flipped one switch, turning on a "searching" icon on the main screen.

"Command, ATC, whoever...this is Lance Callahan, COME IN, do you read? COME IN." He took a sideways glance to Dash's screen. 'searching.'

Several seconds passed...nothing.

"COME IN. WHOEVER HAS A GODDAMN MIC, answer me!"

"~This is the 79th communications batallion. What's your status?~"

Another sideways glance revealed that Dash had successfully connected with the third party; an illuminated lightbulb was flashing in the corner of the screen.

"I'm in one piece, but I need to make a landing. I'm low on fuel and I'm set to rendezvous with the 32nd Training Wing."

"~Checking credentials. Stand by.~"

_Come on...come on..._ by 'stand by,' they probably meant to hold him in place while they sent any number of pilots to finish him off. Of course...it COULDN'T have been the CDF. Wherever they were, some Sargasso pirate was impersonating the Defense Force...hoping he bought their ruse.

Surprisingly clever ploy, on their part.

"~There!~" In a few more seconds, the coordinates to the filter popped up on-screen, along with Dash's smiling face. "~It's a space station not too far from you!~"

"Got it." Lance immediately shut down all standard communications, to hopefully render himself invisible again to anyone not using his method.  
Lucky for him...he likely wouldn't even have to handle the number of fighters they would have undoubtedly sent his way. He turned the Castaway towards the source of the station, steadily gliding off in that direction. It would be several minutes before he arrived.

"Time to show off what this thing was made for..."  
Eyes narrowed, he adjusted the throttle for the "dot-hunting" process standard for fighters back home.

"~Hey, uh...what is this thing, anyway? Are you piloting an Arwing?~"

"Yes and no..." he muttered. When he finally found the station, he began lining up his sights. "It _was_ an Arwing...but I made it better. With some help, of course."

"~Ah...lemme guess: Slippy?~"

"The very same." Lance heard the 'lock' tone, and with a smug grin, clicked the button on the very top of the stick, releasing two small missiles from the underside of the wing.  
"Watch carefully, Dash. Old-fashioned creativity meets fringe-tech."

Sparing not even a second, Lance immediately awed right and accelerated to full possible speed, afterburner and all. It surely would have given away his position, but given what he had just fired off...that was a pointless thing to worry about.

"~Those are...missiles? What about smart bombs? That's kinda archaic...~"

"Maybe so. But the idea isn't brute force." When Lance felt he was a sufficient distance away, he aligned himself with the planet's orbit and shut off the engines altogether.

"~Turn the camera on. I gotta see this.~"

Lance complied with the request and watched the screen with Dash. In a second, a gargantuan flash of light erupted from the point of impact...and another one soon after that. Two explosions...followed by an expanding sphere of crackling electricity and rippling light waves. The blasts soon died down, appearing to have no effect at all.

"~Uh...looks like it didn't work.~"

"Check again." Lance once again flipped on normal communications. "There's nothing there."

"~What the...~" Dash looked around, befuddled. "~The only thing that coulda done that is...an EMP...?~"

"That's right." Lance kept the link open, intending to call Fox in another minute or two. "I gave Slippy the idea and the resources, and he made it happen."

"~Wow...that's impressive.~"

"You can stroke our egos later. Right now I need you to tell me what's going on down on Macbeth."

"~Why don't you just go down there right now? There's no WAY they can stand up to that kind of weapon!~"

"Why rush?"

"~Wha-? Those are your comrades! You have to save them!~"

Lance shook his head in disdain. "You gotta remember, Dash. We got a reason for what we're doing here."

"~Ah...uh, okay. I'll check up on them.~"

"Great."

Several seconds passed. Lance could hear the clicking of a keyboard on the other side of his connection with Dash. He was busy at work...  
"~Lance, they're getting slaughtered down there! They can't hold out much longer!~"

"Perfect."

"~Wait...HOW is that beneficial in any way?~"

"You'll see. But for now, I'm gonna let it sink in for a little while."  
Lance sit back and folded his arms, taking a deep breath as if enjoying a well-deserved reprieve.

"~Lance...I dunno what you're planning, but I can't imagine you'd...y'know...let them _die_ down there.~"

"Don't worry, kid. That's not the goal, either."  
In spite of his tranquility, his eyes burned with inconceivable machinations.

= = = = =

The two foxes were finally up in the air, barreling through the sky in their trademark fighters. There was no formation they could have take on with just the two of them, so they just maintained their distance to avoid any blast large enough to take both of them out in one go. The outlines of several fighters danced across their radar, but they were quickly being disposed of.  
It spoke greatly of Wolf's ability as a pilot; even an ace would have great trouble against two or more fighters, yet the two of them were dancing circles around the competition.

Fox let out a heavy sigh, readying himself for another harrowing encounter.  
"Get ready. We're coming in soon."

"Ready, Fox."  
Krystal's confident response bolstered his morale; if she was with him, he could do anything. She sensed his improvement in attitude, and it granted her the same determination. They were feeding off of each other—it would be enough to get them through their trials.

They were flying low...possibly no more than 500 yards off the ground. The entire situation reminded Fox of Corneria, during the Lylat wars. Home turf being destroyed, dangerous, low-altitude missions, rival bands...  
He shuddered at the memory. If only he had started sooner. But the memory was coming to life again:

"~Haha...thought you'd turned tail and run, kid,~" Wolf taunted from afar.

"You haven't learned a thing, Wolf. I'm gonna blast you right out of the sky, just like every other time."

"~Oooh, you hear that, Panther? The BOY SCOUT is gonna shoot me down. Heheh...~"

"~Panther will silence that wretched boy. And when he does, he will take his stunning lady friend from him.~"

"Ugh, good _Lord_, Fox, let's get this over with." Krystal rolled her eyes, rolling away from his position and taking off after Panther. "I'll handle this idiot myself. I've been waiting to get him back for what he tried to do to me on Sauria."

Just as she let off a rain of laser in his direction, he barrel rolled out of the assault, attempting to get inside her flight path. "~Ahhhh, the lovely Krystal appears. It seems she is not the forgiving type...~" He purred over the link. "~Doesn't she know it was destiny that brought us together?~" Before long, the jungle cat was tailing her, ready to shoot down his prey.  
But not before toying with her first...  
"~How does it feel...to be completely helpless to fate?~"

Meanwhile, Fox was dealing with problems of his own. He and Wolf were exchanging blow for blow...the lupine adversary had obviously been training. Neither of them could tail the other for very long, often exchanging shots and dodging or rolling out of harm's way. Their craft—as well as their talent—were all equally matched.  
"~Been too long, Fox. Almost forgot how exhilarating it is fighting you.~"

"Don't let your guard down, Wolf. You're still not even close to my level."  
Wolf was right behind him this time, firing off more powerful blasts before Fox finally maneuvered outside his range.

"~I wouldn't say that...~" Wolf, instead of maintaining pursuit, veered off to intercept the vixen. "~But I'm not so dumb that I wouldn't employ good old fashioned teamwork.~"

The move couldn't have been more masterfully timed; he and Fox had split in opposite directions, giving them sufficient distance. On top of that, he was heading directly into Krystal's side, in such a manner that he and Panther would be gunning from two entirely different angles. She would have to manage THAT fiasco while Fox would be left without enough time to catch up.

"Krystal! Get out of there!" As soon as he realized what was happening, he almost began to panic. The boosters weren't fully charged yet, and his partner was about to leave him alone in the fight.

"I'll be fine!" She spotted Wolf shortly before he began blasting away like a madman, and quickly ascended, tilting directly upwards and into the sun.

"~What the heck...? The hell is she doing?~" Wolf pulled away, making a wide circle so he could view her Arwing from a sideways angle. The sun was directly in his eyes, and there was no way he would be able to spot her.

Panther, however, was not so clever.  
"~Panther, you idiot! Don't follow her!~"

It was too late. The two had ascended above the clouds by now, removing Fox and Wolf from the equation entirely...and leaving no cloud cover to block the blazing sun from their vision. When Panther's eyes finally adjusted to the world around him, he was able to crack an eye open just long enough to see the Cloud Runner crashing down in his direction, landing a multitude of direct hits on his Wolfen. He roared in frustration as the craft zoomed past his own, now short one wing.  
"~IMPOSSIBLE!~"

"Who's helpless now?" She teased. The stunt left her slightly dazed; in spite of the G-diffuser built into the Arwing, there was only so much strain it could reduce on the pilot.

"Krystal, that was amazing!" Fox had caught up just in time to meet with Wolf, getting in a number of direct hits. "Let's try and wrap this up quickly!"

"Got it." She joined him to gang up on Wolf, imitating the same maneuver he had pulled on her earlier. He barrel rolled and managed to throw Fox off his tail, only to find Krystal behind him.

"~God DAMN it! Y'all are starting to piss me off!~" He readied a charge blast and hit the brakes—hard. He was already close enough to Krystal to where she had no time to respond, sailing directly into his line of fire.  
It worked, and she was soon the target of another charge, trying desperately to throw it off.

"He's got me, Fox!"

"Almost there!" Fox moved to help her out, but was interrupted by a _highly_ belligerent Panther, who landed a shot on his fuselage.

"~He hasn't forgotten about Panther, has he? Prrrrr...~"

"Aw MAN!" Fox rolled to avoid the next few shots, still determined to fight off Wolf.  
However, he wasn't fast enough. The charge shot had already blasted the Cloud Runner's engines, and Wolf had landed a few additional blasts on the wings...making life extremely difficult to the vixen.

"Fox! The G-diffuser is down completely!"  
The machine was essentially a way to allow the individual pilot to pull off inconceivable stunts and handle unbelievably high speeds—otherwise considered impossible. The higher the speed, the steeper the climb, the tighter the turn...everything stressed the pilot with additional atmospheric force, and with every G added to that stress, the more likely he or she was to pass out...a highly undesirable result, most often fatal. In addition, it could keep an Aircraft in the sky in the event of missing wings.  
This was the position in which she now found herself—unable to outmaneuver even the most basic aircraft...her Arwing reduced to a flying heap of scrap.

"Just hold tight, I'll save you!"

"~Not today, hero!~" Wolf wasted no time in leaving Krystal alone. She was no threat now, and they could save her for later. Always best to go after the strongest first.  
"~Panther! Ignore her for now. Fox is the real prize here.~"

"~Panther hears. Prrr...~"  
Still on his tail, Caruso maintained his position, methodically aiming every shot before firing, while Wolf boldly approached from the front.

_So...a game of chicken, is it?_ Fox made no attempt to move off course, feeling the full brunt of a blaster to the fuselage.  
He remained unfettered...readying a charge to respond to another one of Wolf's own.  
Another shot jarred his Arwing. It made no difference...he needed Panther to keep tailing him.

Time slowed down as the sunlight reflected from the surface of the Wolfen, accentuating every contour of those wicked wings, swallowed up in the jet black of the cockpit window. They were almost close enough to spot each other in the flesh.  
The world slowed down, and the shot released itself from the nose of the rival fighter.

"Now or never."  
Fox released his own shot, but instead of a laser...he released a smart bomb. From this close, it would surely cause some serious damage, or even destroy his Arwing completely. Hoping for perfect timing, he turned around as sharply and quickly as he could, feeling his innards sink into his seat as he threw on the boost as high as possible.

"~WHAT? IS HE NUTS?!~"  
The two Wolfens, each approaching the same point from opposite directions, met the full force of a freshly detonated bomb, flashing violently enough to part the clouds above. Fox, as well as blinded, felt some of the impact from his attack, and began spiraling off in a disoriented stupor.

"Fox, are you alright? Wake UP!"

"I'm...I gotta..." he slowly regained his composure, taking note of the ground racing up to meet him.  
_SHIT!_

He yanked on the throttle as hard as he could, forcing himself to tilt upwards. The Arwing was still slightly rotated, and he just barely missed the ground, shaving off a good portion of his left wing on the pavement below. After coming out of the dip, however, he gained enough breathing room to examine the damage.

"Man...almost thought I wasn't getting out of that one."

"You scared me half to death! Don't ever do something like that again!"

"What about you? I thought you were a goner for sure."

"I'll be fine...it's a pain, but I'm alive."

"Good..." Fox let out a huge sigh of relief. The two of them were now circling each other in joy at their victory. It was almost a dance—a celebration.  
"Thought I'd lost you."

"Fox, when you're with me, I can't lose."  
He smiled openly, touched by her words. Seems they were finally able to express themselves. Now, if only they could get a moment of peace for once...he could...

"~It's about to get a whole lot worse, kids.~" Wolf's drawl once again haunted them.

Fox's eyes widened in disbelief, checking the radar to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Wolf? But...how!? The smart bomb...!"

"~He didn't think that Star Wolf would come with their old Wolfens, did he? Their aircraft are now unmatched. Prrr...~"

"Fox, they're...!" Krystal began circling around to meet the challenge.

"I KNOW! Just get out of here! You can't take any more damage!"

"~Panther, take the girl. He's mine.~"

"~With pleasure...~" Panther had no trouble blasting away at the Cloud Runner while Wolf held Fox at bay.

"Aaaahhh! Foooox!"

"Krystal! AGH—"

"~Don't forget who you're dealing with here, Foxy! Your ass is mine!~"

Fox was rocked out of his intended path, barely seeing the Cloud Runner struggling just to stay afloat. Her cry for help echoed in his mind, and he could have sworn his whole world was being torn out from underneath him.  
For now...whatever happened, he would have given anything to be able to save her life.  
_Son of a bitch, sonofabitch, sonofabitch...please, please..._

There was nothing he could do...he could clearly see that another shot would utterly destroy Krystal's Cloud Runner, and Panther was clearly readying a charge shot to ensure she wouldn't escacpe.  
"Fox...I'm so sorry...I...I lo..." she never finished her sentence, and drifted off into unconsciousness.

"No!" He threw on the boosters, but another predator descended upon him.

"~No use, Fox.~" Wolf knew that his rival would prioritize Krystal's safety, and responded accordingly. A well-placed laser shot sheared Fox's other wing clear off, forcing him to constantly tilt upwards in order to stay afloat.  
"~It's been real, Fox...but this is the day that Star Wolf takes you dow—~"

He was cut clean off when Fox noticed sparks fly from where his Wolfen's wings used to be. In the same volley, the interloper had placed Panther in his sights, hammering away directly at the cockpit window. The assault left Panther with heavy enough damage to cause the predator to whirl away and try to figure out who had just hammered the two of them.

Whoever it was, Fox was grateful, but had no time to celebrate; Krystal was descending, _fast,_ and it would take little short of a miracle to save her now.  
_Shit shit shit shit..._ he dashed in without any other thought but her well-being.

"~Who the hell was that? Panther! Find out—"  
Interrupted again, losing his remaining wings.

"~It's just a standard fighter! Panther can't believe...RAAAAAUGH!~"  
Another blast damaged his own g-diffuser, leaving him almost as crippled as his previous victim.

That voice...almost like a young surf-rat, welcomed Fox with all the warmth of the morning sun.  
"~Heya, Fox! Didn't forget about li'l old me, did ya?~"

"Bill? Is that you?!" He was floored, almost long enough to forget the situation. Krystal's forward momentum was only enough to keep her in the air for a few more seconds...a collision would kill her, but any loss in speed...

"~Just get your girlfriend, buddy. I got these guys.~" The familiar dark green of a Cornerian fighter zipped away to keep Star Wolf at bay. None other than Bill Gray, one of the most decorated pilots in the modern Defense Force, and more importantly...a very old friend to the vulpine.  
"~Bulldog unit, get in here. We got two war criminals running, and a possible second wave.~"

"~Panther thinks now would be a good time to regroup...~"

"~Don't think this is the end, you bastard!~" Wolf could think of nothing more, now entirely focused on escape. "~Shark Unit! Get us an Evac, NOW!~"

The world phased around Fox..._come on, come on...just a little more..._  
Krystal seemed to have woken up, as the Cloud Runner tilted ever so slightly, reducing her distance to the ground, now_dangerously_ close to skidding from the underside.  
"Krystal, HOLD ON TIGHT!" If she heard him, she was too jarred to respond, but Fox slipped his Arwing directly under hers, slightly braking, directing their two jets off and towards the nearby field. They couldn't afford running into any of the buildings here.

_Why isn't she ejecting?_  
"Just...a little...!"

And then, the impact. It threw Fox's foundation, whipping his head forward and then banging it against the back of the seat as their harrowing descent began to slow. Eventually, the Cloud Runner slid off his Arwing entirely, and the two collided mid-slide. He held on for dear life, only hoping they would live to see tomorrow.  
When he finally opened his eyes, his systems were all fried, static dancing through every screen, warning signs sporadically showing up on whatever _did_ still function.

He let out a heavy sigh and threw his head back, trying to force himself from the cockpit.  
_Can't...rest...can't..._

Everything was a struggle...his arms were jello, and the straps themselves held the weight of the world...let alone the escape latch that released his canopy with a hiss of air.  
With lead shoes he stumbled out onto the field, taking several steps before laying two heavy hands on the escape latch on the Cloud Runner, similarly ravaged from the fight.  
_Come on...come on..._  
Struggling and grunting, he dropped all his body weight to pry the latch. He finally dropped, and the lever with him, catching the sound of her own windshield creaking open. "Kr...Krystal?" It was a chore pulling himself up...but he managed, grabbing onto whatever he could to climb up.

"Talk...talk to me!" even as he grunted those words, he opened his eyes to see inside...  
His eyes widened light those of a frightened child to find his would-be beloved motionless in her seat. Despair nearly drove him over, and he stared for a very long time, unwilling to believe the worst. This couldn't be happening...was she really...?  
Almost taken by his exhaustion, he was relieved to hear her suddenly and violently begin spluttering for air, stirring awake after their ordeal.

_Oh God...thank god..._

"Unh...Fo...Fox...? Izzat..." She cracked an eye open to spot the vulpine.  
Right now, those teal orbs were the most beautiful thing in the world to him. He let exhaustion claim him, dragging him into a deep sleep. Dropping to his knees, he let his head bang against the side of the ruined fighter.  
_Thank you...oh thank you thank you..._  
Fox lost consciousness with a smile on his face, finally able to rest easy.


	38. Chapter 38: The Day Will Live In Infamy

Chapter 38: The Day Will Live In Infamy

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
_  
"So, have you heard the news?"_

"What news?"

"This Bismarck character. Everyone in the ISR community is going nuts over it."

"His name has popped up in a few records, but I don't know alot. Who is he?"

"We aren't sure. Some think he's some old school mob boss who knows too much. Others say he's an old Venomian veteran, or more radically, that he's some unnamed relative of Andross himself."

"So how does this affect the war?"

"He seems to have been busy establishing connections with many less than savory figures in our world. Star Wolf, Venom...even that 'Cosmic Castaway' on your team."

"What? You mean Lance?"

"They seem to think this holds evidence against Callahan. Theory in the ISRA is that they're co-conspirators."

"You think so? He DID arguably save Macbeth, though."

"I don't buy it. The human could have easily done it to make himself look good."

"Doesn't that sound a little bit paranoid? If he wanted us dead, he would have let Star Wolf have his way with Fox and be done with it. If I had to guess, he IS manipulating us all, but I don't think he's working with Bismarck. Nothing adds up."

"I never implied he was after your lives. But I do think he's just using you. Because on the contrary, everything adds up: victory often hinges on public favor, and this turn of events has given him one small foothold in that direction. His contact with a suspected terrorist speaks for itself."

"I wasn't entirely fond of him either, when we first met, but don't you think this is a moot point? If he helps us defeat Oikonny, he's no more a threat to us than anyone else on our team."

"And what of his treason?"

"Let's be honest here...we don't have nearly enough evidence to build a case. And even if we did, he's contributed alot already to the war._"

"And what if his methods include Bismarck in his plans?"

"Then he'll stand trial like the rest of us would...AFTER winning us this war."

"I pray it's not too late by then."

"I guarantee you he's harmless, General."

"Maybe on his own, but I'm starting to see connections. This is how Andross began to form his private army."

"Andross didn't have Star Fox to keep him in check. If Lance Callahan goes rogue, we're more than a match for him and any army he could cobble up...and he knows it. And as for Bismarck, if he ever shows up, we'll take him down just like the rest. You don't have to worry about it, General. We've got it covered."

"I pray you are correct."

"What are we supposed to do about Bismarck, though?"

"What CAN we do? The man is a phantom...he might not even be a man at all."

"If the ISRA is aware of his existence, why haven't they been able to track him down yet? I'm sure one can only go so far throwing pawns around like this."

"Bismarck seems to be using a highly intricate system of communications...every time we track one to the source, there's an entire web of connections that leads nowhere. And they're constantly cutting off and switching access points."

"Do we...have any recordings, by any chance?"

"We only have so much. COUGH COUGH... We believe he's using Venomian communication protocols, which means we can't eavesdrop on anything in his immediate circle. The only substantial evidence we have is a short exchange with an old acquaintance of yours."

"Who could it...Pigma."

"Yes. The two agreed to meet, but when we sent a team to apprehend them, they were nowhere to be found."

"If I had to guess, he must have intercepted Pigma en route."

"Possibly, yes."

"So we can't go after him...or her...until we've handled some of his connections."

"My friend...you are growing far too old to worry of such things. I pray you see this war through to-HACK HACK, COUGH COUGH..."

"That's a nasty cough you've got there. You should retire when all this is said and done."

"Perhaps...*cough*...there IS a nice beachside property on Fortuna I've had my eye on for a while."

"Sounds great. I'll have to meet you there once this war is won."

"Excellent, my friend. *wheeze*...I will hold you to your word."  


Head in his hands, Fox sat waiting outside an occupied room in the cold halls of a Hospital. Sounds of beating feet and profuse shouting reached his ears, but fell silent. He had already rushed around enough for one day...but as usual, he had emerged almost entirely unscathed. His fingers found a bump on the back of his head, an injury he can scarcely remember sustaining, and wondered why exhaustion had been the only thing to plague him, when a far more deserving pilot lay unconscious in the room before him. Lifting his head again, he hoped to see her smiling face greet his...but his gaze met only a pale door, shut tightly.

It was unbearable...the worst part was waiting. In agony, he let his head fall, returning to his coddling hands.  
_Where did I go wrong? She should have been ready...I should have prepared her more._

Images of the doctor's shaking head haunted his thoughts, the way his lips moved when he gave him the news.  
Flight-related fatigue and hairline fractures were the least of her worries; she had sustained a concussion in the ordeal, which could have meant any number of things for anyone.  
_How would her ESP factor in? I'm sure her mind is different, at least medically...do the doctors even know how that would affect it?_

Fox was despondent. There was nothing he could do, and he blamed himself entirely, due primarily to the fact he had_allowed_ her to join their team with the full intent to fight alongside them on equal terms.  
This was a terrible lapse in judgment.

_Idiot, IDIOT! Did you really think this...little girl...could keep up with you? The years it takes to learn how to fly properly...and...and I LET it happen!_ He clutched at his hair, still glaring at his feet.  
_I should have…I let my emotions get the better of me...I wanted to be near her...so I put her in this situation. What was I THINKING?_

He glanced up again.  
The door was still shut.  
Again he drooped his head.  
_Just gimme a sign...something, anything...she was awake earlier. What happened? What could I have done?_

Silence engulfed him again, leaving him prisoner to his thoughts.  
_What have I done...?_

"Fox!"  
The vulpine shot upright in his seat, jolting his head in the direction of the speaker. Peppy was approaching from down the hall, waving him down.

"Oh...hey, Peppy."

"How is it? You don't look too good."

"I'm fine, I'm fine." In spite of himself, his voice was quivering. He took a deep breath, attempting to force himself to calm down.  
"I'm just...just, you know."

Peppy watched him, not saying a word. He fully understood what Fox was going through, having also been responsible for the loss and destruction of the lives of his loved ones.  
Images of a noble fox in aviator shades came to his mind, and he instinctively placed a comforting hand on his surrogate son's shoulder.

"Oh, Fox...what are we gonna do with you?"

"Peppy, it was..." Fox began quivering again, retreating into his hands. "_It was my fault!_"

"No, no...this is what she wanted." The hare turned to the door, equally distraught. "The chance to fly, the chance to make a difference...she did a great job out there."

"No, no, I...look, I just..."  
Fox fumbled for the words, still struggling to keep his composure. Taking another deep breath, he stiffened his abdomen, ignoring the pain to force himself out of the tears he knew were coming.  
"I _love_ her, Peppy!"  
He turned away just as the damn broke, releasing a cascade of tears from his emerald eyes. It was bad enough knowing he had caused Krystal this much suffering, but on top of that he was being forced the humiliation of a love sick child? Scratching the sleeve of his jacket against his eyes, trying to hide his face from any passers-by, he was no longer fighting the tears.

"I know, Fox. I know." Peppy shook his head, almost ready to shed a tear himself.  
"It was...understandable." He released a heavy sigh, patting Fox several times before sitting beside him.

"Look, Fox..." the wise man continued, adjusting his eyeglasses. "I know this kind of relationship is...unconventional, but...I see it in both of you. You two were meant for each other. Do you think I don't look at her and see the same infatuation for you that you have for her?"

That calmed the ace down just a little bit. It was comforting, and he already knew it—to some degree—but it was pointless now, if she was in this condition. What right did he have to find any solace in a love he didn't deserve?  
"Yeah...yeah I know."

"You were the reason she wanted to stay with Star Fox. That's what I think, at least."

Fox was silent, making no effort to wipe his face or conceal his sniffling. He was no longer crying, but the air was palpable with his anguish.

"And after this, she's still not going to walk away. She's going to stand by your side and fight with you, tooth and nail." Peppy shifted in his seat. He was slowly approaching the age where not even sitting was comfortable for him.  
"And I know it's hard knowing what she's going through, but it's too late to back down now. She's...she's good. _Too_ good for someone who's been flying for such a short time. These things happen, Fox. To the pros, and to the greenhorns."

"Yeah, I know."

"So cheer up. She'll be fine."

"I know that, Peppy! But what if...what if it happens again? I can't let her...no, I can't let _us_ do that to her again! Besides...she's just...so..._innocent!_ I mean LOOK at her! We made that girl a mercenary!"

"She's not a 'girl,' Fox, she's a woman now. We'll just have to let her decide." He sighed heavily and folded his hands. "She already made her decision once—it was a brave one, and you can't blame yourself for that."

"..."

"You'll see her again, Fox. Don't worry. If I were you, I would retire with her after all this is said and done."

= = = = =

Another set of boots stomped through the halls. Everything was torn apart...the traffic control towers were in shambles, the landing strip was a pile of rubble, and smoke was still billowing away from nearly every building in sight. Shimmering green eyes scanned the damage...this was already enough to melt the coldest and blackest of hearts.  
"This is horrible..." the Cosmic Castaway approached the hangar overlooking the war zone, met with a small squad of Cornerian soldiers, headed by a distinctive gray colored canine.

"Hey, you Major Gray?"

The addressee saluted. "Major Bill Gray. At your service."

The human raised an eyebrow, not returning the gesture. "I'm just a civilian, Major, you don't have to salute me." Instead, he offered his hand to the hound.

"Oh. Uh...sure." he warily took the hand, giving it a firm—almost vice-like shake.

"Hm. Quite a shake there." Lance mused. "Fox thinks very highly of you. It's a pleasure, I'm sure."

"Does he now? He _should_...I was way better than he was back at the academy." Bill flashed a shining, toothy grin. "But hey, down to business, yeah? You really saved our bacon out there. We owe you our lives for what you did back there."

_Is this guy for real? He sounds like a west-coast surf-rat..._  
"Are you referring to the comm-station or the entire battalion we knocked out?

"Both, I guess." Bill shrugged and motioned for Lance to follow. "Gotta say...I never seen any weapon like that before. Any chance you'd be willing to share a few...?"

"It was just a few EMP based missiles, and yes, that's my intent." He nodded, glancing across the strip where his Castaway was now settled. "I'm sure it'll prove invaluable against Oikonny."

"Awesome! I've been looking for a chance to try out some new toys. Heheh..."

Lance responded by raising an eyebrow at him, not saying a thing.

"Wow, Fox was right...you really _don't_ have a sense of humor." Gray just shook his head, still smiling.

"I can't wait to hear what else he's said about me."

"Well, you'll get the chance to ask him yourself. We're heading to the hospital where he's at right now."

_Fox failed...only to let this guy save the day? This is unexpected..._  
"He's...hospitalized?"

"Well...no. He's fine, but his girlfriend on the other hand..." the smile somewhat disappeared from his face.

"Krystal?" Lance tensed up slightly.  
It shouldn't have come as a surprise, but somehow, he found himself clenching his jaw.  
_Note to self...nervous ticks...selective attention. Examine later._  
"What happened to her?"

"By the time I got there, her Arwing was already beaten to hell, and Fox pulled some crazy, stupid reckless stunt to save her. Coulda gotten them both killed, but I guess if anyone coulda done it, it had to be Fox. At any rate, they say she's stable, but..."

"...but what?"

"She went through the ER already. She's stable, but...we dunno."

"What about Slippy? I hear he's hear with his Father."

"They're on their way over here right now. They were working on something at Point Sol."

"Hm."

The two of them approached a small kart and piled inside. Lance insisted on taking the backseat, while two of Bill's escorts took the remaining seats.

"You're not gonna sit up here?"

"I never ride shotgun."

"You're choice."  
Bill gave him a quick glance in the rear view mirror, eyes slightly narrowed. For some reason...he didn't like this guy at all.

The ride was silent, and in about ten minutes, they reached the front of the hospital...now a madhouse crowded with the wounded and dying.  
"Lovely. This oughtta be pleasant."

= = = = =

"Hey, there they are now." Bill aimed a finger up ahead. Just down the hall, Fox was sitting with Peppy and a fenec fox sitting in a wheelchair.

"Fara Phoenix? What's she doing here?"

"Training the recruits, man. It's one big reunion, ain't it?"

"Yeah, but we're short by a few."

The three turned their gaze to welcome both newcomers. They acted warm and hearty, but Bill and Lance turned their eyes immediately to Fox...clearly hiding his distraught with his usual courageous mask.  
"Bill! How long has it been?"

"Too long, dude, too long!" Bill Gray laughed heartily, slapping his hand into Fox's and pulling him into a firm bro-hug.  
Fox tried to play along, but simply lacked the energy or the morale to do so.

Lance folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. "What, Fox, no hug for me?"

"Yeah, good to see you, too." His face fell. It would have been great if either one of them had shown up sooner.

Catching on to his dismay, the human cleared his throat and unfolded his arms. "Yeah, well...sorry I didn't get here sooner. Soon as I pulled into the atmosphere, I got dragged into a dogfight over Point Loma. I got out as quick as I could, but by the time I finished..." he saw the door they were all waiting on. _She_ was inside...

Fox decided to let it go. It couldn't have been his fault anyway.  
"Yeah, well...you did what you could."

"That's a shame, though." Fara cut in, rolling into view. "Your first real dogfight, and we weren't even there to see it!"

"You shoulda seen him." Bill crossed his arms, as if it was his achievement. "Didn't even have to fight, really. Just shot off a couple missiles and half the damn battalion was gone!"

Peppy and Fox exchanged quizzical looks and turned to the human.  
"...What?"

"Is that true, Lance?" Peppy could hardly believe his ears. A battalion could have been anywhere between 300 to 1,200 men. The human was by far the weakest pilot out of all of them, the ONE thing they all had over him, and somehow his kill count skyrockets into their own ranges?  
"HOW does something like that happen?"

"You can thank Slippy later." he waved it off. "He can explain it better than I can, but to be honest, it really didn't take any talent."  
_No, it just took a really good secret weapon. The first of many._

Fara looked equally unconvinced. "Now I HAVE to know. Did you put any of my training to use at all?"

"Yeah, yeah, you don't have to worry about that." He tried to wave it off again. "Hey, where _is_ Slippy, anyway?"

"I dunno, he's..." Fox stopped mid-sentence; he was receiving a call from the amphibian at that very moment. "Wow, speak of the devil, huh?"  
He switched the link on, summoning the engineer's image.

"~Fox! Where are you? We've been running in circles here trying to find you guys!~"

"Room 420, Slippy, we haven't moved at all."

"~No, I know that, but this place is so _complicated_ I SWEAR to you it's floating around and rearranging itself.~"  
Two engineers previously hidden away from the rest of the chaos, rushed through the halls, dipping between the masses of frantic mothers and brothers and sons of the injured. The amphibious duo whipped wildly about, searching for any clue to their destination.

"~What? HOW am I at 456, huh? I TOLD you this place is just messing with me!~"

"Uh...Slippy?" Fox was now intently watching the toad, in plain sight down the hall. "We can see you."

"~Eh? Where are you?~" he and another frog whirled around, equally clueless. "~I don't see you!~"

"SLIPPY!"

"~Uh...OH! There you are! Yeah, I...I see you.~" He finally spotted them. "~Uhhhh, 'kay. Bye.~"

The two waltzed over to the main group, their moods quickly killed by the sight of the rest of them.  
"So uh...this is my dad." Slippy held up a hand, 'presenting' the esteemed Beltino Toad. "Uh, _yaaaay..._"  
A failed, but appreciated attempt to lighten the mood.

"Hello, everyone." The frog made a mock bow. "I'm sorry...I wish we could have met under more pleasant circumstances..."

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm just glad everyone's here to help." Fox stood up to shake the man's hand.

"It's a pleasure, I'm sure. We can only hope to help out." Beltino accepted his hand, and then examined the rest of the group. "It's embarrassing to say this now, but...I'm curious as to which one of you it is who's been testing out our inventions?"

"Ah, that'd be me, sir." Lance unfolded his arms, similarly shaking hands with the enthusiastic scientist.

"Oh-ho! Of course, of course, the human, I remember now. Yes yes yes..."

"Major Gray here can attest to the EMP missiles your son developed."

Bill Gray felt their eyes trained on him, glancing back between all of them. "Don't expect me to stroke your ego again, dude."

"They were defenseless." The human concluded. "They weren't expecting it and it shattered their forces. Works best with groups, obviously."

"Oh-hohoho!~ You'll have to give me a full report sometime."

"Look guys," Fox held up a hand. "I know you guys are excited about this, but we're kinda having a serious moment right here, you know?"

"Oh, yes yes of course, of course...my apologies." Beltino regained his composure, attempting a grave image. "These things tend to excite me a bit, but you must admit...future tragedies like this one may be avoided with the work we're doing here."

"He's right, Fox." Bill took a step forward, placing a hand on his old ally's shoulder. "I hate to say it, but you guys were unprepared. Tech wins every war...it can't be helped."

With a heavy sigh, Fox shook his head.  
_Maybe that was another thing I messed up?_

"What we're trying to say is, that this affects you and Krystal as well as myself and everyone else out there." Lance crossed his arms again, unable to look directly at him.  
_Note to self...feelings of guilt?_  
"If I recall, these two have some new gadgets for you to try out." Unmoving, his eyes trained on the door ahead. "...and for her, if she ends up back on the field."

Fox bristled at the thought, quickly retaliating at the very _notion_ of what Lance had just said. "And WHAT makes you think she's gonna put herself in that situation again, huh? Is the war all you can think about? What about **her safety?**"

"She's been through _way_ worse, Fox. You know as well as I do she'll take the first opportunity she gets to stand right out on the front lines." Their eyes met, Fox's burning with passion, Lance's grim with truth. "Sorry...that's just how it is."

_He...apologized?_  
The vulpine turned to Peppy, who nodded in confirmation. He had said the same thing, and it seemed there was no easy solution.  
_So that's how it is, huh?_ "Fine. We'll let her decide." He finally conceded, falling back to his chair.

At that moment, the sound of a turning bolt echoed from the door, creaking open to the sight of the doctor who had seen Fox earlier. The ace shot out of his chair, unwilling or unprepared to hear the worst. Unable to find the words, he stared blankly at the caretaker, awaiting his word.  
Several moments passed, and the old canine simply nodded with a smile.

"She's very lucky, Mr McCloud. She'll pull through."

Fox stared blankly at him for several moments before it finally sank in. "Thank God..." he let out his breath, easing up a great deal.

"She'll be out in several days, but she can't do anything strenuous for a while."

"Yeah, yeah, of course...can we see her?"

"I'm afraid she can't take any visitors for now. She's—"

"Doc, with all due respect," Fara cut in this time, giving Fox an 'I-got-you' look. "This is Fox _McCloud_ here. Can you make an exception? I'm sure it would do her a world of good."

Fox met with her eyes, giving a non-verbal 'thank you,' and the doctor steadily responded.  
"Well...fine, but please, try to keep it brief. We're trying to keep the excitement down for a while."

"Thank you so much, Doctor." Fox nodded, and approached the door.  
After the elder had left, he knocked lightly, peeking inside. "Krys? It's us. You got a moment?"

"Fox?" her eyes had been closed, apparently trying to sleep—doctor's word, no doubt—but shot open when she heard his voice. "Yes, yes! Please, come in!"

He nodded to the others, who all filed in.  
"We were worried about you," he continued, taking a seat next to her bed.

"I'm sorry to trouble you all..." she moaned. In spite of the wrap around her head, her health was visibly strong. "I should have been more careful. I thought we were in the clear earlier."

"Don't worry about it, it was my fault." He shook his head, avoiding Peppy's stern gaze.

_I TOLD you to stop blaming yourself..._

"I'm flattered...everyone's here." She opted to ignore his self-degrading statement. "Peppy, Slippy, Fara, and...beg your pardon, who is this?"

Fox turned around. "Oh, them. That's Bill Gray, old friend of mine, and Beltino Toad, Slippy's father."

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Bill nodded enthusiastically, proceeding to punch Fox in the arm. "Ha, you're a lucky man, Fox."

"Uh...sure." He rubbed his shoulder, put off by Krystal's giggling. "Hey, wait a minute...where's Lance?"

"Hm? Lance is here?" Krystal raised an eyebrow.

"Strange...I didn't even notice he was missing." Slippy strolled to the doorway.

"Go get him, will you?" Peppy frowned in annoyance. "Walking away at a time like this...how rude."

"Fine, fine, you guys wait here." The frog left the room, turning back once for some quick parting words: "Hey, get well soon, yeah?"  
She smiled at him, and he promptly disapeared.

They talked for a bit, talking about the recovery process, detailing their most recent sortie, and reminiscing about old times. After a sufficient time had elapsed, Fara glanced around at the crowd that had formed in the tiny little room. "Hey, uh, guys? I think it's best we give these two their space for now."

"Huh? Why, so quick, we just got—AHH!" Bill was elbowed in the knee by the plucky instructor. "Whaaaat?"

"We only came here to show our support. _Except for that rude little monkey, of course..._ Besides, I'm sure there's only one person she wants to see right now." She shot a coy grin to Fox, who only smiled sheepishly.

Peppy nodded towards the door, and they all said their goodbyes, leaving the two foxes to their own conversation.

The last thing they saw was the hare's face disappeared behind the shutting door, and the two were alone once more. For a while after, the two awkwardly watched one another, and Fox was the first to break the silence.  
"You know...you did great out there," he began, clearing his throat. "That stunt you pulled...using the sunlight to blind Panther...that was quick thinking."

"Thank you, Fox," she giggled. "But somehow, I get the feeling you didn't just come here to praise my fighting." She gave him a coy look that implied she knew exactly what he was thinking—and wanted to hear him to say it.

The vulpine saw it in her eyes, but couldn't seem to muster up the courage to just spit it out. "Yeah, ah...well..."  
_Come on, come on, she already knows it, why can't you just...?_  
"I uh...you scared me out there. For a while, I thought to myself that the only thing I wanted in the world was to see you again. And..." he broke off, laughing at himself. "I must sound so dumb right now..."

"It's fine! You're doing great!" his laugh was contagious, as she was now sheepishly laughing with him.

"What, so you're my coach now?"

"No, no! Please, go on, I promise I won't laugh."

"Mm, I dunno, I don't know if I feel up to it."

"Fo-ooooox!"

"Fine, fine!" They both struggled to stifle their chortling. "Well...I think...I know what you were about to say back there. Before...you know, before you lost consciousness."

"Yes?"

"I think..." he held up a hand, as if he were about to conjure up some sort of distraction out of thin air. "No, I _know,_ I feel the same way. You know?"

"Mm, _DO_ I know?"

"Krys!" He covered his face, again nearly breaking out into a fit of laughter.

"I want to hear you say it."

Fox stared at that smiling face. It was enough to melt any heart, and he somehow found the will to force his thoughts into words.  
"After having known you for so long...I mean, we've already been through so much together already." He took a deep breath, and his voice evened out.  
"And I don't want it to end there. I was terrified because I...ah...I love you, Krystal."  
Smiles uplifted their faces, and when he looked down, Fox was surprised to see himself holding her hand in his. They were warm, soft...he felt his heart pounding, offset by the slow rhythm of her breath. She was looking down at his hands, anticipating the rest of his speech. As Fox lowered his voice to little more than a whisper, the two vulpines leaned in closer, now face to face as her eyes met his.  
"I think...I've always loved you. Ever since the moment I first laid eyes on you. Yet for so long...I haven't realized it until now. Well...I guess I did know, but there was a part of me that was equally terrified. I dunno...of losing you, of being rej—"

She immediately cut him off with a well planted, passionate kiss. Surprised as he was, he made no effort to resist, losing himself in the moment completely. They inhaled deeply, swept up in a riptide of emotions that had remained repressed for too long.

As Krystal pulled back, one hand stroking his cheek, staying propped up with the other hand, Fox opened his eyes a second after feeling her lips leave his. "Fox...I love you, too."  
Stunned, Fox believed that he couldn't possibly be any happier than he was in that moment. Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she leaned forward to wrap her arms around his shoulders, cradled by his embrace.

"Oh, Fox..." she moaned. "I'm so happy..."

Smiling weakly, the ace likewise began fighting back some tears of joy.  
But then there was also that sickening dread. He deeply wished this moment would last forever...but in the life of mercenaries...he would only have himself to blame if it ever ended. His smile soured into a frown, and he clutched her tighter, knowing full well she would sense this weakness.

= = = = =

"Lance? Lance, what're you doing out here?" Slippy caught up to his target, standing patiently in front of an elevator. Just as he approached, he spotted holograms dancing above his communicator. After he was finished, the display shut down before the machinist could reach him.  
"Uh...you came out here just to send a message?"

"Yup."

"..." Slippy stared at him quizzically, expecting more of an answer than that. "Aaaaaand?"

"What? Would have been rude to do it in front of everyone else. We're supposed to be focused on Krys' recovery, right?"

"Uh-huh. Then why are you out here?"

"Why aren't you in _there?_"

"We only showed up to let her know we're there for her, Lance, and you didn't even pop in!"

"I'm sure I would have put a damper on things."

Slippy continued staring at him. He was currently looking at one of the first people on the team who had shown him an ounce of respect, and now he was just dancing around everyone at every turn, refusing to talk. At all.  
"Lance, what gives? I thought Fox was being a douche when he said you were acting unusual, but this is weird even for you."

"Guess I must be distracted."

"SEE? You were even more open when we first _met,_ and now you're blocking us all out." He shook his head, planting two firm fists on his hips.  
"You gotta talk to me, man, what's wrong? You know about your reputation, right? This isn't helping out at all."

The elevator opened, empty inside, but the human stared at it for a while, waiting for it to close. After spotting his reflection in the chrome, his eyes diverted, and then met with Slippy's.  
"You remember how she's...you know, a _psychic?_"

"Yeah, so?" Slippy shrugged. "She's an empath. If you're afraid of her seeing something else, I doubt you have to worry about the girl who's power is to determine that **the guy who wants to blow up the building is ANGRY!** Whooooo!"  
He waved his hands around dramatically at the last bit.  
"Besides, we KNOW you by now. What else could we possibly learn that could put you any lower in our eyes than you already are?"

Lance raised an eyebrow at this statement. He knew what Slippy meant, despite how it may have come out.  
_Wow, you REALLY have a way with words, don't you?_  
"That's the thing. Everyone thinks her power is being _Captain Obvious,_ but emotions aren't the real problem. I can conceal those. According to the Seers, Empaths can also take special note of _intent,_ and that disturbs me."

"So you're just gonna leave her in there?" Slippy extended a hand towards her room. "What could have changed with your_intent_ so dramatically that..."  
He stopped, giving Lance a long, hard stare before curling his lips into the most _vile_ grin that the human had ever seen.

"Uh...Slippy? You can't be mean mugging me like that, or I'm gonna call you the Grinch from now on."

"IIIIIIIIIII see what's happening heeeeere..."

"...what?"

"You're completely _infatuated_ with her, aren't you?"

Lance rolled his eyes. _I WISH it were something as simple as that._  
"Tell me you're not bringing this up again."

"Yeah, yeah, I gotcha...I can see it now! A love triangle!" He held his hands out as if to indicate a giant, neon sign. "How dramatic...the noble commander and the alien assassin competing for the heart of the exotic..."

"OH MY GOD, don't bring that up again. I had ENOUGH of that from the tabloids when I FIRST got here. The last thing I need right now is for Fox to..."

"AND you're reacting way differently—much less civilized, I might add—than you did when Fox **first** asked you about it. That's a little suspect, Lance." He jabbed an accusing finger straight into the alarmed human's forehead, eyes crossed to watch the prodding finger. "I think it might have been true the first time, but NOW you've gone all emo because you can't handle it!"

"What?" Lance slapped his hand away. "Of all the ridiculous, ignorant—wait, how do you know about that? Were you THERE?"

"Oh...uh...y...no." Slippy began twiddling his thumbs, eyes darting back and forth between the human and his shoes. "But uh...yeah, anyway. Look, who cares if she does see that? You guys are still cool, right? Look, when I was your age, I blah blah blah blah lovestruck blah blah blah a pink frog named blah blah blah and then I was heartbroken blah blah blah but I moved on blah blah..."

The human drove an open palm directly onto his own forehead. _Slippy, I love you, man, but you're the stupidest genius I've ever met in my life._  
When he pulled his hand away—leaving a distinctive cherry red hand print on his face—he spotted the amused gaze of several nearby Cornerian females, apparently listening to the nonsense spouting from the amphibian's mouth, as they were examining the two of them from head to toe while mumbling untold gossip.  
_Craaaaap._

And yet the onslaught of 'wisdom' continued: "...blah blah blah finally worked up the courage to blah blah blah blah first date blah blah first kiss blah blah where babies come from blah blah blah..."

"Slippy, SO HELP ME, GOD, if you don't cut that shit out right now, I am gonna take that _cactus_ over there and—"

He never finished that sentence, having violently been lifted off his feet and thrown against the wall.

The next thing he knew, he felt the tickling sensation of blood trickling from his forehead.

_What the...?_ He surveyed his surroundings, too dazed to figure out what had just happened. Slippy's familiar stocky frame was upon him, heaving him off the ground.

"Lance! We gotta go!"  
The words came out, but the human heard nothing. Everything was in chaos, rushing forms and light abound, and when he gained enough clarity to grasp his position, he took special note of the gaping hole in the side of the building in the lobby where he had just been standing. He stared out into the open air, incredulous, allowing the frog to guide him back the other way.  
"DUDE! Wake up! We're getting bombed!"  
When his awareness finally returned, he heard everything: the screaming, the high shriek of bombers overhead, and worst of all, the air siren that was now pelting his ears.

"You gotta be kidding me..."

Mesmerized, the two of them stared out of the hole for a while, taking note of the smoke billowing away from a small structure in the distance.

"Those are..." Lance narrowed his eyes.

Slippy finished the statement for him, "...the recruits quarters. Those guys are practically _kids!_"

At that moment, the whistling of another missile ripped the air, slamming directly into the top of the structure. It was blinding, and the two of them felt the wind even from that far away...there would have been NOTHING left. And when they finally cracked open their eyes, all they saw was a pile of rubble.

"How could they...why would they...?" Slippy shook his head in disbelief, but also noticed the same fate meeting with their neighboring base. It may have been at least a mile or two away, but from their perch, they could spot out almost every structure with utter clarity. The hospital...gone. The schoolhouse, gone. Dorms, base housing, everything was turning to ash.

"That's Point Loma...even the Church is gone!" Lance heaved, just now becoming aware of the fractured ribs he had sustained. "The casualties would have to be...Jesus..."

They watched helplessly as the entire complex fell piece by piece to whatever assailant was launching the slaughter. Miles behind them, the sound of another, single large bomb signalled the destruction of another individual annex...yet the entire time, the one they occupied spared only minimal damage.  
The duo doubled back to rendezvous with the rest of the group, who was surely on their way to take shelter in the basement by now. The quarters were crowded and stifling, and dust fell from the ceiling with each explosion, but the bombing died down only minutes later...leaving theirs the only untouched region in the joint base.

"Is it safe to come out now...?" one small child tugged at Slippy's arm. The frog merely placed a reassuring hand on the kid's head, before looking to Lance with a determined scowl.

"Who cares if it's safe? We're going after them. We CAN'T let them get away with this."


	39. Chapter 39: Rest For the Weary

Chapter 39: Rest for the Weary

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
_  
"Your work on Macbeth was splendid. I regret doubting you."_

"Hwa-ha...told you already: ya get what you pay for."

"Indeed. We will definitely require your services again."

"Just don't forget...you're gonna need deep pockets."

"And what of the General?"

"That's doin' _**reeeeeaaaaal**__ good! But why couldn't I spike his workspace? He's almost never at home."_

"Too much security. Besides, if you _**had**__ successfully poisoned headquarters, the entire senior staff would have fallen ill...it would have tipped them off to your actions."_

"We coulda blamed it on the government's incompetence..."

"The timing would have been too convenient."

"Heh...yer' wallet. Hwa hwa..."

"It seems I owe you the rest of your fee. You'll be receiving a shipment shortly."

"Wheeeee! My beautiful reward!"

"Indeed."

"Hwa-ha...anything else? I'm makin' a killin' off-a you."

"Just one thing. How much do you know about Aparoids?"

"Just the invasion from like...twenty years ago. Why?"

"Though it took an entire fleet to do it, they eventually shot down that lone Aparoid. I'd like you to retrieve some of its remains."

"Ooooohhh, I know where this is goin'...this ain't gonna be cheap. You sure yer' gonna be able to afford all this?"

"Later. I only need you to retrieve it, and hold onto it when I call you next. I still need to locate it and prepare for its arrival."

"If you say so. Just don't forget to call in your number one here whenever you need...we're making sweet, sweet cash. Heeheehee..."  


Wind blasting, blood boiling, sun blazing...a lone avian raced through the exterior of the ruins on an empty world.  
Falco Lombardi: Ace Pilot, reformed thug, aimless loner...he was done running. From his past, from himself, his life, from everything. He answered to no one, moved for no man...even if it meant his death, he had to fight back.

Blaster fire whizzed by his head, singing his cheek. He threw his head back in pain, too late, forcing his beak forward towards his opponent. The vicious reptile ahead of him cackled in delight, continuing an onslaught of blaster fire. Falco continued sprinting, shoulder-rolling ahead and out of Leon's line of sight, all the while blindly firing off his own blasters in his direction. None hit, but he could have sworn the chameleon held his arms out...as if to welcome the barrage. He was _daring_ Falco, staring him straight in the eyes.

Their eyes met, causing a momentary ceasefire.  
Lombardi slowly became aware of his surroundings...they were outside, on top of the ruins where they had first encountered this psychotic assassin. Both of the pheasant's hands held blasters, trained directly on the lizard. Several seconds later, the chameleon threw his head back and forced a maniacal laugh, allowing his tongue to flail about.

"Kya-hahaha! Splendid, SPLENDID! I was afraid you were still that same spineless worm!" In his own hands, he held a somewhat larger blaster in the other hand...and he was conspicuously missing the device they were after.  
"Good, gooooood...it's no fun breaking a soul that's already weak...hee hee..."

"Laugh all you want, you creepy asshole!" Falco let loose, nearly blinding himself by the masses of his own blaster fire. Leon disappeared in a split second, zig-zagging out of his line of fire, swinging madly when he finally approached the avian. Soon as his fist let loose, a wrist mounted blade shot out the top of his forearm, missing his adversary by inches.

As Falco began to ascend from his duck, launching a fist towards the reptile's diaphragm, he was cut short by a solid strike by Leon's tail. The lizard hadn't stopped his momentum, and merely continued his turn to attack with another appendage.  
The blow knocked the wind out of Falco, causing him to drop one of his blasters, only to find his neck wrapped in the scaly tail. He was hoisted up off his feet, struggling to breathe as the assassin turned him, prepared to plunge his weapon deep into his heart.

"Kekekeke...what'd I tell you, bird?" He stood, savoring, beholding the moment. "No one escapes the great Leon!"

Just as he wound up for his strike, Falco jammed the barrel of his pistol directly into Leon's forehead and pulled the trigger as madly as he could. Screaming in pain, Leon released him and swung wide, not even coming close to contact. His screams calmed and morphed into his usual mad laughter, and he dove forward after the avian. Falco sidestepped, trying to fit in a blast every now and again, but nearly every time he dodged, that vicious tail seemed to catch him off balance. The way he moved, Leon could adapt to any situation, attack from any position conceivable. It was a nightmare trying to beat him in close range.

"Falco!" Just as the bird had been solidly knocked aside by a square tail-blow to the face, Ursa came crashing out of the balcony directly above them, firing one bolt after another as he descended upon Leon.  
Enduring several blasts, Leon pushed forward, slithering around the bear's punch and impaling his shoulder on his blade, still holding onto his own blaster.  
Ursa roared in pain, and Leon forced him forward, pulling with the knife and kicking his legs out from under him. When he was on the ground, the assassin aimed his blaster, interrupted by a mighty kick from Falco.

**"YOU THOUGHT I WAS DOWN? DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" **  
Falco fought the growing fatigue in his muscles, the heavy weights on his chest, struggling against every crying cell in his body to fight off his enemy. But his labored motions were apparent to Leon, who had no trouble in sidestepping every attack...snickering the entire time.

"Oooohhh...big man...kekekeke..." he retaliated with a single headbutt, knocking the avian back, before releasing a fully automatic assault on him. Most missed, but three of them hit him squarely in the chest, numbing him almost entirely.

Falco groaned and toppled, chest heaving, pushing up his singed clothing. The smell of burning feathers reached his nose.  
"Urk...!" a solid foot pounded on his already burning ribcage, and Leon twisted, forcing agonizing pain to fill Falco's body.

"Do you know who **I** am?" his eyes were twitching madly, even while trained directly on his rival. "I'm the last thing you'll ever see!"

Before he could react, Katt flew into view, planting a flying kick directly into the side of his head. The shattering blow forced him back, thrashing his head back into position, forcing his focus.  
Flicking his tongue, he swiveled his eyes around to glance between Katt, Falco and Ursa...the latter of which was now heaving himself off the ground, clutching his shoulder. That arm was useless...and he would have to fire with his left hand now. Terrible aim, encumbered by his wound...he'd be the easiest target. The other two were likewise in pain, though mostly from exhaustion.

Which left...

**"RAAAAWWWW!"** Tora unleashed hell on the lizard, blasting him several times in the back, knocking him to the ground with a loud thump.  
Heaving violently, Tora walked up to Leon, warily kicking his foot.

There was no response.

"Is he...is he out?" Ursa heaved, struggling to breathe.

"I think so...but that suit looks bolt-resistant." Katt adjusted her own blaster, training it on the madman.

"Don't worry...let's just get that device and—"  
Falco was cut off when Leon heaved himself on his hands and rotated wide, sweeping Katt and Tora off their feet with a wild dance of kicks and tail strikes, leaving both unarmed. Ursa was already a good distance away, but Leon closed the distance, wrapping his tail around Tora's leg and unceremoniously throwing him in the ursine scrapper's direction. Both of them slid off towards the edge, and the reptilian hopped off cackling once more, covering his trail with more bolts.

"Falco! He's getting away!" Katt pointed helplessly towards his dust trail.

"I know, I KNOW!" Falco jogged off, struggling to control his breathing.  
_I'm not letting you escape...I'm not letting you escape..._

He headed into a wide corridor after his quarry, dashing through the stone portal and into the other side. There was a wide open stretch atop the ruins, at the end of which sat a Wolfen. Directly before that, Leon caught on to his pursuer, doubling back to finish the job.  
"Kekekeke...you're a persistent one, _bird!_"

Leon rushed him faster than he had anticipated, immediately throwing him off balance. This time, all his blows were direct...forceful. There was no longer a need to conserve energy against such a weakened opponent, and his job would be quick.

_Shit, shit, shit!_  
Falco tried to parry most of the blows, but when a decisive thrust with his blade sailed towards Falco's throat, he was forced to the ground in order to dodge, rolling over his own back to get back to his feet—narrowly dodging another tail strike on the way up.

"Keke...this is IT!" Leon announced, emerging out of his spin to deliver another stab.

_SHIIIIIT!_ Falco's eyes opened wide. Gritting his teeth, he committed himself to a single all or nothing move that would decide his fate.  
His thoughts shut out—he didn't even think...he just acted. Filled with fear, consumed with his basest instinct to preserve life, Pure instinct took over, and mimicking Leon's same force-conserving movements, not even trying to stabilize himself after the roll—he continued moving back, launching himself off his feet and planting both feet into the underside of Leon's jawline in the middle of a well-executed backflip.

"_DAAAAAAAAMN!_" Tora had emerged around the bend, stunned, just in time to watch Leon sail back from the skull crushing blow.  
Falco made a sloppy landing, stumbling squarely to his backside, grunting heavily, struggling to catch his breath.  
The tiger ran to his side to help him up. Both of them saw Leon scrambling towards his Wolfen, casually snapping his jaw back into place. His grunting and chuckling was barely audible in the distance.

"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!" Katt dashed into the area with Ursa in tow, both stopping to fire in the chameleon's direction.  
None of them hit, and Leon was already in the cockpit and on his way out.

"What're we gonna do? He's already off with..." The feline turned her head to where Falco was..._was._ "Falco?"  
She looked up to find their leader sprinting off towards the cliff.  
"Falco, what are you DOING?" She reached out to him, already at the edge.

How he had found the strength, none of them knew. But they soon saw him leap off the cliff, arms spread widely. Leon was already gone, dashing off into the distance.  
Several agonizing moments later, the faint hum of a fighter engine echoed throughout the area, and Falco's Arwing soared off after Leon's own aircraft.

"Command! This is Falco Lombardi, I need backup NOW!"  
No response.  
_Damn...forgot. Couldn't get a hold of them last time, either._

He threw on the thrusters to maximum, braving the risk of the coming sandstorm to catch up to his enemy. The wolfen slowly came back into view, and Falco frantically lit up the sky to shoot him down.

"~Kekeke...there he is. Do you wanna blow up the machine I have onboard just to kill me? Heehee...I think I'm a bad influence...~"

"Shut up already!"

It was a frantic game of cat and mouse, and the two pilots were on the verge of hitting the storm.

"~Why...won't you...just...~" Leon was now struggling to get his bearing, audibly frustrated by his pursuer. "~GIVE UP!~"

Falco finally landed several hits, damaging the reptile's engines and shearing his wings off.  
"~KYAAAAA!~" His Wolfen went spiraling out of control just as both of them were hit by the vicious winds.  
The last thing Falco saw was the sparks flying from Leon's ship (or was it his own...?) before the entire world went spinning out of control.

= = = = =

"~The casualties are estimated to number in tens of thousands in the recent bombing of the Cornerian Defense Force's installations known as Point Loma, Point Sol, Point Alto and Camp Harvey, collectively known as Fort Reeves. The devastation is reported to be the work of a large criminal organization known as the Sargasso Pirates, led by none other than the Star Wolf team. Star Wolf had previously engaged heroes-for-hire, Star Fox in a dogfight high above the flight line on Point Alto, leaving the other three installation to their main forces, later engaged by the Cosmic Castaway, Lance Callahan. Initial reports suggest that Star Fox was unable to successfully...~"

"Fox, you mind turning that shit off?" Lance was covering his face, massaging his temples between his thumb and middle finger.

"Hang on..."

"~...rescued later by an old acquaintance of the vulpine, Major Bill Gray of the CDF's Air Force. Major Gray has been awarded several meritorious service awards for his actions during the Lylat Wars nearly a decade ago...~"

"Fox? You listening?"

"~...meanwhile, as they appear to be among the fortunate few who remain completely unscathed in the face of these bombings, many are left to wonder if Star Fox is still suitable to protect the well-being of...~"

"Or you could just leave it on, that's cool, too. I'll do it myself."

Fox was so obsessed watching the reports, the human had to shut it off himself. He couldn't keep seeing the damage that had ravaged the scene, and his commander was, conversely, growing sick with the realization that his reputation had suffered a significant blow. They were the wall that separated the enemy from the rest of the world...if the figureheads were seen as weak, if they suffered any failure...the results might be catastrophic.  
"Hey! I was watching that!"

"It'll do you a world of good to go out there and see it yourself." The human dropped himself onto a chair in the lobby they were currently holed up in.  
"Forget about the civilians. We got bigger things to worry about than how pretty we look."

"Easy for you to say." Fox buried his face in his hands, letting out a heavy sigh. "You barely lifted a finger and they think you're some kind of savior."

"Let it go. They're just scared." As heavily damaged as everything else around them, the chair suddenly gave way, dropping the human to the ground. With a heavy sigh, he made no effort to get up.

"He's right, Fox." Bill approached, gruffly kicking Callahan in the foot. "We don't fight for the people's love and admiration...just for their safety."

"Bill, this is..." Fox pulled away his hands, shaking his head at the hound. "This is awful."

"Yeah? I noticed." Gray refused to turn his head out towards the carnage.

"Why did we have to live, though? I mean...it's like they deliberately avoided us. They could have just blown us sky high and be done with us, but..."

"_Jaysus,_ Fox, please don't be _that guy._" Callahan finally made the effort to climb back to his feet, dusting himself off in the process. "Not everything is your fault. Luck is part of talent, as they say."

"Lance, I'm surprised at you." Fox shot Lance a sideways look. "You of all people would question a coincidence like that."

"I AM questioning it. I'm also prioritizing. If they **wanted** us dead, we'd be dead. They still need us for something."

"What? Who?"

"Beats me. Might be some guy named Bismarck."

"Who?"

"Ask Peppy. I got somewhere to be."  
And with that, the human sauntered off with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Soon as he was out of earshot, Bill took his place at Fox's side.  
"Fox, you doing okay?"

"I've felt worse."

"Uhhhhh huh." Bill crossed his arms, glancing towards the small crowds of out-patients. Having experienced complete system failure in the only remaining hospital within miles, they were all being forced to move.  
Krystal included, just to _add_ to Fox's growing list of stressors. He would undoubtedly argue for her to accompany them again, due to "extenuating circumstances."  
"Well...what are we gonna do now?"

"The only thing we can do..."  
Fox still heard some of the screams echoing from the higher levels. Some poor sod had probably just run out of anesthetic during an amputation, screaming and pleading for his unfortunate surgeon not to 'take off any more.' He shivered feverishly...Lylat hadn't seen this level of tragedy for ages. This was famous as a first-line training center, more commonly referred to as the "Gateway to the CDF." All recruits, all trainees had to pass through basic, all pilots through flight school...it all happened here. These were kids who had just left home. To think...how many mothers, fathers, siblings, children were out there who had just received word of their loved one's death?  
"...Sargasso's made the top of my hit list. They've made it clear that we can't make a move without them shadowing our every move. We've got no choice but to take them out before anything else."

"Or else this tragedy might be repeated."

Fox acknowledged him, but much to his friend's surprise, his neutral gaze had been replaced by the face of a madman.  
"They're gonna pay for this. We'll hunt them down...every single one of them."

Normally calm, collected, confident, the vulpine was visibly being consumed by his fear and rage. Bill was taken aback at the sudden change, but he shouldn't have been surprised. Up until now, they'd made it through tighter spots, but this was a different challenge...this time their morale was under attack.

"Fox, you're scaring me, man." Bill shook his head, slapping Fox on the back.  
Even that surprised him; the vulpine was tense, so much so that he may as well have hit a rock. "This isn't like you. You're starting to look like..."

"What, like _him?_" Fox shot back acidly, jerking his head towards the human, still barely in sight. "Maybe he's right. Maybe we can't afford to be the nice guys anymore."

This was troubling...Bill was one of the few who had ever seen him like this. Back when they shared regular contact, he had always shown a habit to spout nonsense when he was this frustrated. Of course he never meant most of the things he said, and there was, in Bill's mind, only one suitable cure.  
"Fox, just go see your girl for now. You need some time to quit thinking."

Stroking his hands, Fox thought about it for a minute, and responded with a curt nod. "That'd be nice, but she's probably too tired to even..."

"Just go, dude. From what you said earlier, now's the perfect time to sort out all your little frustrations."

"...Bill, where you spying on us?"

"Never mind that. We're all gonna have to split soon, and things are only gonna get worse." He was referring to the recent order to prioritize Sargasso as the CDF's number one target. The public outrage was so great and so powerful that General Pepper had no choice but to acknowledge the danger.  
Thousands of families were devastated, angry, lost...it couldn't be helped.  
"So you might as well enjoy 'lovely time' while you can."

Contemplating his advice, Fox almost accepted the solution...even if it was only for morale, but his thoughts were interrupted with a shrill tone emitting from his arm.  
"Oh man, hang on..." cursing under his breath, Fox answered the call.

"Hello?"

"~Fox, buddy, it's me!~"

"Falco? It's about time, what's going on down there?"

"~We uhhh...we got a problem.~"

= = = = =

In the darkness of his cell, unperturbed by the whispers of a world which had long forgotten him, while the sweat ran over tightly closed eyes, one part of his mind nagged at him. Like an unnoticed insect in the corner of an empty room, his head buzzed with possibilities...past, present, and future. Though not one to dwell on the past, he sought to crush the story of his own creation, to cast aside his last connection to the world and push forth on silver wings.  
Wolf O'Donnell opened his eyes...both of them, though only one was of any use to him. The other opened to reveal a dark hole of flesh, meant to be filled with a special visor to replace and enhance what he had lost to _him_ so long ago. It was a constant reminder of what he once was...just another petty thing to be cast aside.

He stood, grabbing the monocle and securing it into the space his left eye once occupied. A sharp burst of pain and a subtle grunt implied it had connected, and he slowly strolled away from his console.  
So much on his mind...currently, this would have made the fourth defeat at the hands of the Star Fox team, and five by Fox himself.  
_That day, back at the academy..._ He picked up a ragged duster from the back of his chair, donning it on his currently bare torso. _I never made it in, but I know I could have shown that punk a thing or two._

A gruff kick to the door prompted it to slide open, revealing a dark and cramped passage lined with all manner of pipes protruding and wrapping throughout the structure like a system of veins. _And while __**he**__ got all the glory..._  
He strolled forward, the mesh ground creaking and squealing beneath his boots. _I was reduced to a nobody..._ He scowled, unconsciously flashing wicked canines.  
_I was left to rot._

He came to a junction, opening up into two significantly less cramped pathways, each meeting at the same room. Veering right, Wolf waltzed onto the bridge, letting his head hang lazily to the side. _"Stay good," he says. "Have a nice life," they say._  
This was no pleasant way to live...their quarters were spartan, their methods, contemptible.

Their lives...empty.  
_And this is what it brought me._

Alone and jaded, Wolf carried with him a deeply wounded heart. Though he led masses, he stood so far above the rest that he had become unreachable. But then...to one so betrayed that he no longer had the ability to give even the lowest form of trust, it was just the way he liked it.  
Erecting his head back to its upright position, the gritty outlaw turned an eye on the bigscreen. Panther had left it running again...it was a habit. Irritating at worst.

_Wonder what this is._

He extended a hand, adorned in a clawed gauntlet, and poked at the master control adjacent to Panther's seat, raising the volume up to barely audible levels.  
Can't have it too high...he hated loud noises.  
"~...devastation is reported to be the work of a large criminal organization known as the Sargasso Pirates, led by none other than the Star Wolf team. Star Wolf had previously engaged heroes-for-hire, Star Fox in a dogfight high above the flight line on Point Alto, leaving the other three installation to their main forces, later engaged by the Cosmic Cas...~"

Unwavering, Wolf switched to another station.

"~...and what of the Star Fox team? How is it they were able to _magically_ survive this ordeal, when so many others...~"

_Click._

"~...been a public outcry to bring the outlaw band known as Star Wolf to justice. Behind me are legions of family of the deceased, crying for compensation for their dearly departed. We are awaiting a public statement by General Pepper...~"

_Click._

"~And what's the CDF gonna do about it?~"

"~I dunno, Gavin, I think they've really been caught with their pants down this time. There's just no reason they shouldn't have been prepared for this. They've got the technology, they've got the resources...they could have prevented it!~"

"~What about Star Fox?~"

"~What ABOUT Star Fox? I hear McCloud and Krystal had to be saved by some no-name pilot from the CDF, while Callahan is out wiping out entire DIVISIONS? If you ask me, they're getting weak. Lance Callahan's talent is WASTED on that team.~"

Wolf raised an eyebrow. The human hadn't taken out that many, and even if he had, he wouldn't have lasted seconds without his _cool little toys._

"~You think so?~"

"~Just you wait. Star Fox can play their games digging in the sand for whatever fantasy device they want. If only that human would leave them to...~"

_Click._

Wolf remained stoic. Like a statue, he stared off into nothing...contemplating...planning.  
_So that's how it is...huh?_ A brutal smile peeled his face back, as if he was completely clear on the situation.

And then he sat down, punching in a long line of code on the terminal in front of him.  
He waited several seconds...welcomed only by the dialing tone and global imagery in the holograms in front of him until Oikonny finally answered.

"~Wolf? What is it? I've been waiting for your report for hours. For a minute, I was beginning to think you failed.~"

"Funny thing about that...we DID fail."

"~What?~" The ape's visage twisted into rage. "~How could you have failed? I gave you every possible means to...~"

"But the good news is, the mission was successful."

"~...and just what the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm paying you good money, Wolf, you better give me a good reason not to blow you into the sun right now!~"

"Cool your jets, Andrew, it's simple, really." Wolf switched the screen right back on, flipping to the first news channel he could find.  
"See...Macbeth just had a huge bombing."

Oikonny begrudgingly hit several keys to patch himself through to the feed on Wolf's ship. His expression changed from rage to bewilderment after listening to about thirty seconds of coverage.  
"~Wolf...why would you throw your weapons into this load of piss...only to kill a whole load of _inconsequential_ targets...and THEN FAIL to kill Star Fox?!~" Rage again; his fist audibly pounded the terminal in front of him.  
"~Did you EVEN manage to knock out that research facility?!~"

"You don't have to worry about _that._ The frogs may be gone, but the place is a pile of ash." He shrugged. "Though by the looks of the transmissions we intercepted, the actual factory is with the Third Fleet."

"~God DAMNIT! Can't you do anything right? Do you have any idea how many resources go into those bombs you dropped?~"

"Oh, and for the record, those weren't our bombs."

"~Oooohhh, okay okay...they weren't your bombs.~" Oikonny nodded 'understandingly,' lowering his voice to a sinister baritone. "~Then how do you explain **Fort Reeves,** Wolf?~"

"Like I said, simple:" Wolf switched off the console, crossing his legs...clearly amused by this new turn of events.

"...We've fallen victim to a false flag operation."

= = = = =

"So we have a problem. Several problems, actually."  
Fox McCloud, arms folded, face down, roamed up and down an elevated stage overlooking his audience. The individuals who composed his current group all situated themselves in the makeshift briefing room they'd made out of a ruined café. All crowded around Fox's communicator, the small object was projecting images of the map, highlighting Titania, Venom, and the Sector Z traverse.  
"Not only has the recent bombing ruined our plans here on Macbeth, wiping out nearly all of our new trainees..."

"...we still have at least a _couple_ all-star squadrons in development..." Lance muttered from his corner.

"...but on top of that, and more _importantly,_ Falco's in a jam right now on Titania. Looks like he met up with Leon Powalski, of all people, on his way to grab that terraforming device we've had our eyes on."

"Wait...so what does that mean?" Bill Gray raised a hand, sitting backwards on his chair, legs wrapped around the backrest. "Who has the device, then?"

"Falco informs me that although Leon made off with it, they were able to shoot his Wolfen down before he could exist the atmosphere. They're still searching for the remains of his fighter right now, but we don't know his status, or that of the device."

"What about Falco?" Peppy interjected. "Are he and his team doing alright?"

"They've taken a beating, but they'll pull through." Fox nodded, showing his relief. "Looks like Leon is a lot tougher than we thought. I just hope we've got enough firepower to take him on when the time comes." His eyes automatically rolled over to Lance. As the designated footsoldier, the duty would undoubtedly fall to him.  
"I doubt they're in any shape to fight again, so they aren't gonna take part in our next campaign."

"Shoulda kept them in the skies where they belong." Lance heaved himself off the wall he was leaning against. "I was kinda surprised they picked Falco to go boots on the ground."

"They thought we'd be better off handling stuff we were familiar with." Fara strained to look back at him. "Of course...we've seen how well that's been going so far."

"Divide and conquer. They did it to themselves." The human shook his head. "And these are the guys writing our checks?"

"Let's not worry about that anymore, Lance, don't be _that_ guy." Peppy attempted to quell the hostilities he knew were inevitable. "Let's try to get through this as painlessly as possible."

"No, I'm with him." Fara jerked her head in Callahan's direction. "I'm getting sick of Pepper going around—"

"Point is, there isn't gonna be any more of that." Fox cut his hand through the air. "From here on, we're sticking together. It's worked better for us than this three-pronged strategy, so we're gonna go back to that."  
_Wait...didn't Lance support the idea when we got back from Venom? What's his angle?_

"Yes, but...back to the matter at hand...we at least still have time to catch up to Leon." Peppy attempted to drive the briefing back on track. "He's got no way back to his team, so we have to get to him before he _does_ find a way."

"Hey, I got a question..." Slippy raised his hand this time. "Why is this device so important? I mean, I know you wanna fix the atmosphere or whatever...tree hugging...mission...you might have, but we've already beaten the odds on Venom before, right?"

"It's not just the environmental concerns, Slip." Fara tried to blow him off.

"...although that would be nice." Peppy stepped forward. "Think about it, after their defeat, we can colonize it. It'll be the symbolic finality of an adversary that's plagued the system for so long."

"It's _because_ we need every edge we can get." Fara continued, now plowing through Peppy. "They're a lot stronger than they were before, and we haven't changed a lot. We were only lucky we caught them before they were ready."

"Regardless, we still got the Anglars to contend with." Lance cut in again, prompting some quizzical looks from everyone else in the room.

"Oh Lord, Lance, you don't actually believe that, do you?" Bill sighed. "There's no evidence to support—"

"Regardless, the archives we found on Venom support it. Better than to have and not need..."

"...than to need and not have." Slippy finished his sentence for him. Without so much as glancing at one another, they bumped fists.

Fox shook his head. "That's still kind of a stretch, Lance..."  
the vulpine suddenly remembered an earlier conversation: according to the human, he and Slippy had confirmed the existence of the Anglars through a raid on a major information archive on Sauria.  
"I mean, I know what the comm tower said, but..."

"You _yourself_ agreed from the very beginning that it was reason enough to go for the device. The data we mined—both on Venom as well as on Sauria—suggested they'd be hiding out in the Venom sea...highly acidic, mind you...which means we can't touch them unless we can terraform it **in a heartbeat.**"

"Fine, fine..." Fox waved a hand through the air, placating the human. After passing through the subject, the group turned back forward.  
"So what do we do now? Well...we have several options."

The vulpine strolled forward, running his fingers across a datapad to change the hologram to display three branching routes, all outlined in bright red.  
"Our first option would be to go after the Sargasso crew. And I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say I'd like _nothing_ more than to tear that station up with my bare hands. Star Wolf is definitely a priority." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Our next option would be to guard the Sector Z traverse." He briefly glanced over at the human, who was watching intently. "The bulk of Oikonny's invasion is thought to be moving through there, so if we were to take them out by numbers alone...we'd have to set up shop here. The CDF is sending a fleet through that area, but they'll likely be requesting our assistance at some point."

"Yeah, about that..." Slippy stood up, sloppily wiping his face on his sleeve. "Dad and I were told our new weapons would be put aboard that fleet. How do we track how that's coming along?"

"For some reason, they're putting all your weapons on the Third Fleet." Bill shrugged. "Least...that's what I heard."

"Anyway, our last option...and our most obvious...would be to head to Titania and get that device." Fox pointed along one of the lines in the projection. "Falco's in trouble, and I'm not about to leave him behind. On top of that...whether or not we get our hands on that device is gonna be _key_ in determining the outcome of this war. This is the turning point."

"Too bad we won't be able to get our hands on Star Wolf..." Fara snarled. "Especially now that they're licking their wounds. It'd be so easy, wouldn't it?"

"Don't worry, we'll get our chance even though we're heading to Titania." Arms crossed, Lance strolled up to the projector, looking Fox straight in the eyes. The two were directly opposite one another, green glow from the hologram illuminating their faces in a sinister light.  
"Star Wolf is shadowing us wherever we go, and if they also realize this is the turning point, they'll have no choice but to show up at Titania...wounded or not."

Peppy and Fara exchanged blank looks. It was sound logic, but no one was stupid enough to send an asset so thoroughly trounced as Sargasso was now right back into the fray so soon.  
"Lance...how could you possibly know that?" Peppy cocked his head towards the human.

"Because it's the only reason they were hired. Star Wolf is Oikonny's solution to Star Fox. Fang was supposed to find me on Sauria, Leon went after Falco...Wolf and Panther, on Macbeth...and I happen to believe they have the resources to come after us again."

"But you sound like you know this _for sure._" Peppy took another step closer, furrowing his brow ever so slightly. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"Could be that." He shrugged. "Or it could just be that I've got the foresight."

"Don't play dumb. I know when you're being facetious."

"Well as a matter of fact, ladies and gentlemen..." Lance turned away from Fox's scorning face to the rest of the audience. "I happen to have found a double agent."

Silence filled the room. Several faces stared at him incredulously, but for Fox, Slippy and Peppy...they could easily believe such a ludicrous claim, and for them it only raised eyebrows in mimicry of the Human's own expression. _Who else but a human,_ after all.

"...and...can you elaborate..." Fox rubbed his face with both hands, clearly distraught. There were many who would have seen this revelation as a boon, but it was a clear and blatant...and in a legal sense, _incredibly_ dangerous move. It would surely leave Fox with a lot of explaining to do for their employers, even if the plan didn't blow up in their faces.

His employee was, essentially...cavorting with the enemy, setting up alliances without direct consent of any recognized authority.

"...why...we didn't know about this sooner?" Fox's face began twisting up again. This guy was definitely becoming far more trouble than he was worth.  
_No, scratch that. He's a TREMENDOUS pain in the ass._  
"You know...Callahan...alot of what's happening here...we could have avoided it." Images of the burning, twisted ruins of the base outside resurfaced in his mind. If they had known earlier...could this have been avoided?

Peppy seemed to have been thinking the exact same thing. "If this is true, that you have a double agent in your employ...would he have known about the bombing that took place today?"

"If he had, he would have told me," confirmed the human. "I've already bled him for all the information I could get."

"Is that also why you keep yacking on about Sector Z?" Fara spoke up, interested, albeit equally frustrated. "Because this guy told you—"

"**MORE IMPORTANTLY,** Lance..." Fox stepped directly in front of the instructor, "_Why didn't we know about this sooner?_ Do you have ANY idea how serious this is? This isn't a GAME, Lance! You're a part of Star Fox now! And for all the rest of the system knows, you're part of the Military!"

"Oh, I know how serious it is." Lance assured him. "But that would have cheapened his value. Think about it...if we had followed this guy's advice straight off the bat, Oikonny would have known we had an inside source. And with what I've been hearing...he'd know it was someone very close."

"But...what about..." Fox was livid, holding out both hands, and all he could do was stare into his own palms, wildly trying to figure out how he was going to sort this mess out.  
_I really HATE being Commander..._  
"Have you forgotten the Senate...no, the entire Federation? Lance, they'll DESTROY us!"

He very calmly replied, "Would you rather Venom do it?"

The ace had no answer to that. True, this alone would probably make Lance, along with the rest of them, wanted criminals, but there was no denying that his methods thus far had yielded results. Fox could only pray that this success continued, or a clear enemy wouldn't be the last of their troubles.

"Don't worry about a thing. You remember Senator Reynolds? The very politicians that thought I was building some 'private army' are the ones now thinking I'm a goddamn savior." He sneered at the thought, though he was clearly flattered by it.  
"Besides, even if it does go south, all you have to do is cut me loose. Blame everything on me."

"That's not the POINT, I...look just answer me one thing." Fox glanced between his footsoldier and the rest of the room. Their eyes were burning him through.  
"Is THIS what you've been hiding from us this whole time?"  
He struggled to recall everything they'd said during that conversation. He could have sworn he'd caught Lance in a lie or two: firstly, he had revealed that the Guardian in which he had arrived in Lylat somehow had sensitive information contained, and secondly, that he knew far more about the enemy than he let on...without letting anyone else in the loop. But given his penchant for misdirection, he couldn't take anything as truth anymore.  
"Or is there something else you aren't telling us?"

"No, that's pretty much it." They were staring eachother straight in the eyes. "...ah, except for that information I said I was gonna hand to you. Here it is."  
He fished around on the inside of his jacket, pulling out a small datapad containing the information he and the amphibian had mined from the comm tower on Sauria.  
"More info on the Anglars. Their existence, tactics, tech...all that good stuff."

"So if that's it, why NOW? If you thought it was so important to keep this hidden...why would you bother doing it now?"

"This is the decisive battle, Fox. Not the last one, mind you, but the only one that matters. _Now's_ the time to quit playing ninja and start pushing the enemy back."

Fox narrowed his eyes. With such a pretentious statement, he smelled the makings of a conspiracy.  
But at the least...at the very least...they didn't have to worry about Lance as a traitor.

Only as a reckless liability.  
_There's no way this guy's as smart as he thinks..._


	40. Chapter 40: Descent

Chapter 40: Descent

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
_  
"I thank you in advance for the time you have taken to meet with me. __***COUGH COUGH COUGH***__"_

"You're welcome. But it would have been nice to warn me you were so sick."

"Please excuse the illness. I have not been myself lately."

"Not surprising, judging by the nature of the assignment you've described."

"Ahhh yes...I realize this isn't a very traditional approach, but recent complications have made it...necessary."

"Subversion was never your style, General. I'm a little surprised, to be honest."

"We can no longer expect to yield results as long as there are those who conceal their motives from us. We have no choice but to fight on their terms."

"Okay, well, that's great and all, but do you really think Star Fox is with _**him?**__"_

"I certainly hope not. But with the human's presence, the heroes of yesterday have been slowly changing...we've all seen it. And recent events trouble me to believe they may all share a connection with the one known as Bismarck."

"Hm."

" *HACK HACK* You are amused by this?"

"Amused? I wouldn't say that. But it IS an interesting challenge."

"I would have thought you would take this much more gravely."

"I don't take lying and spying to my own allies very lightly...but I suppose you and I have BOTH learned from Callahan the values of the lesser evils."

"..."

"Please don't take it the wrong way, General. I fully understand why you want to do this."

"Yes...I wish it could have gone another way, but I must know if Fox McCloud is still fighting for us."

"Even if he isn't, he surely wouldn't betray us by his own knowledge."

"That's a far less comforting thought. *cough*"

"And on the plus side, I don't believe any of them are aware of my real job."

"You haven't informed them?"

"General, everyone who carries a rifle in the CDF inherently knows the value of secrecy. I might not be a Spec-Op like my fiance, but you don't get to head of security without learning a few things."

"Good to know."

"Was that it, General?"

"Just maintain contact. I want to know everything you know, as soon as you learn it."

"Understood, sir. But there is one last request I'd like to make."

"Oh?"

"With an operation this sensitive, I'm going to need some help. I'd like your permission to bring along a friend of mine whom I think will be very useful."

"Who might that be?" *cough*

"I believe I included her file here...I believe Faye Spaniel will prove invaluable to me."

"If you believe it will increase your chances of success, I'll allow it."

"Thank you, General."  


When Falco's consciousness slowly began to return to him, his first instinct was to fumble around for a light switch. His head was pounding, every little pulse emphasizing the multitude of injuries he had somehow sustained, and his eyes met only with blackness all around him. Even if he could see his surroundings, his vision would have been severely blurred. His hands hovered across the console in front of him...buttons, switches...? This was his Arwing, but he questioned why he would have woken up in here instead of...  
Then the memories gradually came back to him. He ran his hands over his head, his torso, his legs...he could feel every limb, which could only mean he wasn't paralyzed, at least. Though labored, he could still breathe, which meant he still had air. But what about his vision?

The avian held up his communicator, switching it on, prompting several lights, blinding him the moment they activated.  
_Good. Not blind, either._

Squinting tightly, he reached above his head to switch on the emergency lights, throwing on more blinding red all around him. For a moment or two, he held both hands firmly in front of his eyes, sighing heavily. His chest was heaving...reminding him of the number of bolts he had taken to the chest, and the tickling sensation on his cheek revealed a deep cut from the fight against Leon.

_**Leon!**_

Falco's eyes shot open as he found the motivation to continue, holding up the communicator to the windshield in front of him. It looked like he was buried in sand, but as for how far down...? Maybe a few feet or so; in spite of Titania's smoldering surface heat, he felt rather cool—almost chilly.  
"Aw man...gotta get outta here..." Falco tried to pop his neck, instead only hurting himself by forcing against strained muscles.

Instead, he sat back down with a grunt to attempt to reach the others. Several calls yielded nothing, until Katt's icon illuminated the cockpit; now she was calling him.  
He accepted the call.

"What's up, Katt?"

"~Falco?! Oh my God, we thought you were dead!~"

"Yeah? I thought so, too."

"~Oh man, oh man...are you okay? Where are you? You flew right into the sandstorm!~"

"I got no clue where I am, but as for my well-being, heh..." He coughed violently as soon as he chuckled. "Well, we'll just say I need a drink right about now."

"~Whew...sounds like you'll be alright, then. We've been trying to track you for the last half hour, but the static from the storm has been throwing off your signal.~"

"I was out for half an hour? That's pretty bad."

"~Yeah...we thought we'd lost you. The storm must be really bad to whip up this kind of static.~"

"On the plus side, it also means Leon ain't getting out any time soon."

"~What does that mean, did you get him?~"

"Yeah, he's here somewhere...I managed to shoot him down before the storm got me."

"~Good Lord, Falco, you could have destroyed that device if you had blown him up!~"

"Would you rather they get away with it? I dunno what use they have for it, but what they want, we gotta take."

"~Whatever you say...at any rate, we gotta get you outta there. We're still looking for you right now.~"

"Okay, fine, but before you go and do something that reckless, there's something I need you to do."

"~What's that?~"

"I need to get a hold of Fox. I'm gonna need you to patch me through so I can use long-distance."

"~Fine. Just give it a minute.~"

Falco waited several moments, staring at the "connecting" icon on the floating screen. Several seconds passed, and Fox's voice sounded on the comm-link.  
"~Hello?~"

"Fox, buddy, it's me!"

"~Falco? It's about time, what's going on down there?~"

"We uhhh...we got a problem."

"~You and me both. What's going on down there?~"

"We got jumped...Wolf sent Leon out here to grab the device, and now he's buried around here somewhere."

"~Wha-_buried?_ Falco, what does that mean? Did you get it?~"

"Not exactly...we're caught in the middle of a sandstorm. I shot him down before he could get outta the atmosphere, but he's still here somewhere."

"~Oh man...~"

"Don't worry, he ain't running any time soon. I already made sure of that. But I'm gonna need you guys down here FAST."

"~Don't worry, we're not gonna leave you hanging.~"

"Katt's on her way, too, in case you don't find me."

"~Well, she better hurry up, because I'm sure not gonna wait around.~"

"Good, 'cuz if starvation doesn't kill me, the boredom will."

Fox chuckled audibly.  
"~Yeah, you're gonna be just fine.~"

= = = = =

A loud tone jarred Fox from his slumber, threatening to split his eardrums if left unheeded. Sighing heavily, the vulpine forced his eyes open and rolled to his bedside, allowing his hand to unceremoniously smash the top of a small alarm clock. He lay there for what he felt was only seconds—most likely several minutes in his groggy state. Making no effort to force his eyes open, the vulpine searched for any excuse to delay the necessity for his presence. From the outside, the bright, earthy glow reflected from the desert planet below began creeping across the room, making its way onto the restful face of the exhausted hero.

The light pierced the ace's face, burning his senses, forcing him back to consciousness. He squinted, rolling over to shield himself. The light passed, leaving him again in darkness, but he had already risen. Sitting hunched over the edge of his bed, staring down at his feet, Fox remained motionless, too tired to move...his mind was a sieve, unable to take hold of any passing thought or recall the dreams he may have had.  
Wearily, his eyes caught sight of the clock he had thrown from the bedside stand, now laying on its side on the ground at his feet. As the bedding shuffled with his movements, ambient starlight illuminating his drooping frame, Fox took note of the time it displayed, not yet having adjusted to their relative time zones.

Judging by when he had fallen asleep, he had only been able to nap for several hours. It was a sparse amount even for a regular person...for any personnel involved in aircrew operations, a minimum of twelve hours rest was required after every sortie. He would only be a liability right now, but what choice did he have? They had been given a job to do, and on top of that, his friend was in trouble.

_Let Katt handle it...Falco said she was coming after him..._

He caressed his ears—comforting himself. Not even a few minutes awake and his work was already possessing him again. Another sigh escaped his muzzle as he forced himself to his feet, stretching the sleep from his body. Trundling over to his desk, he gruffly threw on the clothes that he had already set up the night before; he had already known this would be a terrible day. No time to get a proper meal, to wash up, let alone get a decent night's sleep. His quarters were already a mess from when he stumbled in, and the flight gear sprawled beside his bed remained unwashed.

Having left his room in squalor, Fox dragged his feet out the door, struggling to force himself awake. He thought about waking the others, but for now...it would be a little while before they entered the atmosphere. They wouldn't be needed until they finally reached Titania, and he felt he was the only one who needed to handle the landing. As he contemplated what the others were dreaming, he found his way to the bridge, preparing to radio ground for permission to land.

_Peppy could have done it...he's not gonna be fighting..._

He shook his head again. His thoughts were wandering, filling his mind with nonsense. Sure, he didn't have to do anything down on Titania, but he was always doing...something. Teaching? Was he a teacher, or was that his daughter? Astrophysics...with clowns. There were always a lot of clowns in class, until the blizzard hit the...

Fox shook his head again, jarred awake only because his head had hit the console in front of him as soon as he began to nod off.

_This sucks._ he hesitated to punch in several commands. A quick glance over his shoulder showed that ROB had situated himself near the door, handling his own functions for landing procedures.  
_I wonder what Slippy's up to...we haven't really talked in a while. He's probably...probably...I wonder what purple tastes like...?_ his head hit the console again, and he forced himself off the seat, standing up to keep himself awake. _Krystal could keep me awake, I bet...heheh...heh..._  
Giggling like a fool, Fox struggled to find ways to sharpen his mind for what lay ahead. Now wasn't the time for such carnal fantasies. Even if he weren't fighting a war, it would still be blatantly disrespectful.

Fox stared ahead, waiting for ground to pick up his transmission. As he stared at the screen for what seemed like eternity, an immense sense of loneliness devoured him completely, and he realized that he wanted nothing more than to run away from this troubled journey, even if it meant abandoning everyone around him.  
Now, having rendered himself too _troubled_ to sleep, he slumped back in his chair, cheek rested on his fist, brows curled in a sense of self-pity he thought he had long forgotten.  
And yet, in spite of the solitude of his heart, another mind, close but unseen, reached out and touched him. Sensing his emotion, Krystal, remaining undetected just outside the bridge, rested a hand on the door...unable to touch his decaying emotional state. Downtrodden, her emerald eyes turned to the ground, feeding poorly from this sorrow, and now equally consumed with the withering touch of despair.

She knew she could not abandon this world or its people, but after witnessing the heart of the one for whom she had promised to fight, even she began to lose sight.


	41. Chapter 41: Hush

Chapter 41: Hush

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o  
_  
"We don't have much time. We need that salvage team down here now."_

"So soon? We're already en route to the..."

"I realize that, but plans have changed. The station is now heading towards Titania as we speak."

"Titania? That's not even close to the original contact point!"

"If you're worried about funds, you will be fully compensated for any expenses this will cause."

"Funds, boy? We aren't mercenaries, you know. We can handle the cost."

"Splendid."

"Listen, this won't be easy to cover up, you know. It was hard enough just to scratch out your name, but if anyone sees these records...it won't be pretty."

"I have faith in your ability, Shears."

"Right...but...you're gonna have to get this done quickly. If any CDF show up after you take Sargasso, they're going to lay claim to it."

"I think Major Gray is the only one we have to worry about. As long as the CDF can be convinced he didn't contribute too significantly to the battle, we should be fine."

"The CDF is changing, my friend. What with this business about you, Bismarck, Star Fox, Venom...they're more scared than I've ever seen them. They might not even grant you basic rights to the station."

"Then I'll just have to stake my claim before they can."

"I hope you have a better plan than that."

"Forever and always, General."

"Which reminds me...there's someone else who has an interest in your little projects."

"Oh?"

"It seems the General is sending out a couple of...moles...to keep an eye on Star Fox and all of their associates."

"Moles, you say? You use that word with such contempt."

"As you know, the Lylat system grew beyond most covert methods. Whatever reason you or I may think, we're quite rusty with this sort of thing. While there are still a select few of us who realize such value...by and large, it's still a touchy subject."

"And since there are transmissions floating around that no one can read..."

"...HUMINT has become relevant for the first time in generations."

"Interesting."

"You don't seem fazed."

"I'm more amused, than anything else. In truth, I hope this trend doesn't continue."

"Well, if you want things to stay the way they are, they need to feel safe again. They're afraid of you, and they'll continue to do so as long as they think you're a threat."

"Or at least convince them I can be taken out with conventional warfare."

"Yes. It's the only reason they've started hiding everything they do...just like the days of our forefathers. But why is such sociology a concern to you?"

"Because this is the utopia I've always dreamed of. It's far from perfect, but it would be a shame to spoil such an honest culture with such dishonest means."

"Hoh...you're a bad influence, boy."  


Still wrapped in bandages and still dehydrated, Falco now sat at the edge of a bed in the medical bay, accepting yet another glass of water from the drone known as ROB 64. Shirtless and wired up to some sort of medical apparatus, he downed the glass and calmly held it out to Fox, standing with his arms crossed in front of the avian.  
"You're pretty dehydrated, but I didn't think you'd make it out of there in such good shape."

"Yeah, well lucky for me, Katt was able to dig me halfway out before you guys showed up."

The aforementioned feline moved to sit next to him on the bed, gliding a hand along his back.  
"No need to thank me, big boy." Falco instinctively twitched away from her touch, in spite of the gesture.

"Look, this is very _inspiring_ and all," Lance cut in, holding up a hand to save them all the trouble of a forced recap. "But we still have a crazed assassin and a very disgruntled syndicate in possession of that device."

"Aww, jealous, cutie?" Katt narrowed her eyes at the human, maintaining her sweet smile. As she spoke she swished off the bed and made towards him. "No need to be so hostile~you gotta learn to have fun every now and again."

The feline held up a hand as if to stroke his chin, interrupted when he crossed his arms, in effect, creating a barrier. Never once breaking eye contact, he narrowed his eyes. Her type was a dime a dozen, relying entirely on charm, which could intimidate or coerce, depending on the 'target.' And her current _flirting_ was probably just a ploy to rile Falco up again; it was obvious by his visible squirming, and he was now glaring daggers at the vigilante.  
Katt withdrew the hand, realizing his gesture with a quick glance.

"Falco, I thought you said your _girlfriend_ was a professional." Lance instinctively glanced over to Krystal, who also seemed less than pleased by Katt's behavior.

Barely twitching an eye, Katt crossed her own arms in mockery of his response.  
"Mm, you are just_adorable._ When was the last time you got any tail? Only time I get a response that mean is from beta-men with no game."

"While I'd absolutely love to hear how you acquired the _experience_ it must take to garner that type of logic, I think we have bigger things to discuss than how much of a **prize** you think you are."

"O-KAYYY, THAT'S enough, you guys." Fox chopped the air between them, trying to draw their attention away from eachother.  
Katt was struck. True, she'd gotten that type of venomous reply before, but it was the one thing for which she had nothing to fall back on. It was the one thing in the world she really hated: men who INSISTED on "ignoring sexy." Though she refused to admit it, she knew it was a control issue—that was just in her nature.

"Soooooo before you two hammer out your own little _frustrations,_ I'm gonna brief you all on what's going on." Fox stepped back, waiting several seconds for the two to break eye contact and turn to him.  
"So...what we're dealing with here...is that Leon Powalski, star member of Star Wolf, is in possession of the terraforming device we need to get to Venom. From what we've recently been handed from General Shears..." he shot a sideways glance at Lance. It was no longer a secret that the two had been in contact on numerous occasions.

"...Leon has backup. There's about a platoon of foot soldiers running around those ruins, and we don't know what's going on with his fighter. It was last seen shot down by Falco, where it subsequently crashed."

Falco held up his cup again, casually reclined along the length of the bed. ROB promptly refilled it for him.

"Okay, so we're gonna have to go in and retrieve it on foot, right?" Slippy adjusted his cap nervously. "How's that gonna work? I was told there've been minor sandstorms popping in and out, and a big one's coming on the way."

"We'll just have to make do, then." He glanced over to Krystal, who seemed to be staring very intensely at the back of Callahan's head.  
"Krystal, are you listening?"

"Hu—what?" Her eyes returned to normal, and she loosened up significantly. "Oh...yes, I'm fine. Just...tired."

The vulpine watched her for a few more seconds, choosing to ignore it. "Okay...well, anyway, we'll just have to brave the storm then."

"Oh yeah, let's just DO that." The diminutive toad threw his arms up. "Full speed, those winds blast at about 150 miles an hour. Do you know what that _does_ to flesh?"

"YES, Slippy, I'm fully aware of the danger here, but we don't have any other option." Fox tried to wave him off. "We have a small window of opportunity to grab that device, and Leon—if he's still alive—knows it, too. He'll be rushing as fast he can, and probably is RIGHT NOW...to get out of the atmosphere asap."

"And according to spy-boy and his imaginary friend over here..." Falco jabbed his cup in Lance's direction. "Star Wolf is on their way to pick him up **in person.**"

The human made no response, and Fox continued his brief.  
"With that said...Lance, I need you on the ground. You're gonna be providing guidance for Close Air Support."

"So I'm a Forward Air Controller." Lance nodded. "Am I qualified for that?"

"We need someone to do it, and you're our best bet on-foot."

"Fine. I might need some backup, though. At least one partner."

Fox turned to Falco. "Who on your team is still in shape to fight?"

"Fox, did you see them?" Falco looked around the room. He and Tora got away with a few burns and bruises, but Ursa was bedded—and likely asleep—on the opposite side of the room behind a veiled, glass barrier. Tora, who had been seated at the bedside until now, peaked around the corner in response to the inquiry.  
"Ursa's been reduced to paperweight, and Tora might need a few days to—"

"It's fine." The tiger silently stepped over to the main group, sensing he would be needed again. "Callahan will need an operator, and I can provide that."  
Even with such brave words, he was still bandaged, struggling to conceal his pain.

"Looks like we got no other choice," Lance shook his head. "But I wouldn't have anyone else watch my back but you or Ursa."  
The two held their fists in the air, bumping forearms in acknowledgment.

"That settles that." Fox turned back to Krystal and Slippy—the former of which had again trained her eyes on the human. What was that look...focus? Contempt?  
"Slippy: you're gonna provide air support primarily for Lance and Tora. And for the first half of this fight, for me and Falco as well."  
The toad nodded.

Krystal dragged her gaze away long enough to respond. "You mean to say that you and Falco are going to be on foot?"

_I guess she was paying attention after all..._  
"Only for a little while. For the most part, you, Falco and I are gonna be keeping the skies clear of any fighters or other machines while everyone else focuses on clearing a path to that device. But before we can do that, we've been informed that Leon's platoon has set up some nasty anti-air cannon. So before anyone hops into ANY cockpit, we all have to do what we can to take out that cannon."

"Okay, I'm confused." Lance raised a hand. "If we're ALL running around on ground, how are you guys gonna get to your craft once we DO take out that cannon?"

"That's where you come in again. If you can show us how to get as close as possible to that cannon without being spotted, your first job is to set up a landing zone for our Arwings behind our position, and THEN provide cover for our escape—which would include air support."

"Air support would include Slippy, right? Then I'm assuming he's not coming with us?"

Fox glanced over at the engineer. He knew he would have liked to argue into fighting on the ground, probably using a Landmaster or some other such means—which, in truth, he also would have preferred—but he would be far more useful standing by with air superiority. It was too much to ask of his troops to switch roles so often.  
"Guess so." he sighed.

"So that means Tora and I are gonna be out of the front lines. This would be a good time to whip out those Snipers I mentioned."

"Sure, Lance, if that's what you think is best."

The human responded by giving Slippy a sideways fist bump.

"But anyway, once that cannon's out of the way, Falco and I are gonna fall back to the landing zone and get in our Arwings ASAP. Our main goal from there is to shoot down anything with wings."

"Simple enough for me." Falco gave Fox the thumbs up.

"Oh, and Katt, I hate to ask this of you," Fox nodded towards Falco's old partner, who was now seated beside him. "But if you're still willing to help, we're gonna need you to fill the same role as Falco and I."

"No problem, sweetheart." She winked at him, and Krystal again displayed disdain.

"Lastly...Peppy and ROB are providing Traffic Control, Navigation, and tactical updates as needed. He already knows this."  
Peppy was already on the bridge, managing communications, but ROB reacted simply by relocating to his designated station.

"Alright, guys...you have your directions. This isn't gonna be easy...now move out."

In unison, everyone responded with similar 'aye-ayes' and 'rogers.' Within moments, the room was cleared out, the two vulpines being the last to leave. The ace was about to stop Krystal, but she clearly sensed his instent, as she only closed the door in front of them. Sharply turning to look at him over her shoulder, she stated: "Go ahead. Ask me."

He needed no explanation; as a mildly powered psychic, Krystal's talents would have been far better served in intel...which included their own. And judging by her behavior, she must have sensed something...disturbing...from the human.  
_That would explain why he refused to see her on Macbeth...he was hiding something...and during a briefing like this one, he couldn't escape like he did last time._  
"You got some kind of reading on Lance? You looked kinda disturbed...lemme hear it."

"That's just the thing, Fox...I _didn't_ sense anything."

"...come again?"

"Usually, I can draw emotions, intent, _presence_ from anyone around me, but...I..." she shook her head, looking away from Fox as she did.

"But what...?"

"But...this time...I couldn't get a read on him...at all."

"Ah..." Fox watched her, trying to comprehend her limits as well as figure out how something like this would even work.  
"Well...if I had to guess, I suppose a guy like Lance wouldn't have too hard a time covering up his emotions. I mean...he's not exactly the most _passionate_ person out there, right?"

"That's not all, Fox." She shook her head even faster. "It's not _just_ emotion I sense, it's intent. And he feels emotions a lot more than you would think...he's just like you or me. It's also intent—I know what people want to do or will do—and I can tell who is in the room just by sensing that person's presence. I can get a general idea of what they're thinking and how, but, this time...it I were to compare a normal reading compared to this one, it's like trying to find the sun and trying to spot a candle from miles away."

"So...you can still sense him, just...it's **dark.** Concealed."

She nodded.  
"Fox, you mentioned that he was on Macbeth when the bombs dropped, so to be honest...I was kind of disappointed when he didn't visit. But now...it makes sense. I think he's somehow found out how to block me out...I think he's hiding something."

Fox rolled his eyes. This meant that there was a distinct possibility that Lance had MORE secrets he was keeping. But as to how he had managed to figure out how to block Krystal out of his mind...that was frightening.  
"Do you think he's still on our side?"

"Yes...the only thing I did manage to see was..." she was looking him straight in the eyes, glancing between either one. But something in her mind told her to hold her answer back from him. Her leader, her love...  
"Never mind...but don't worry. He's one of us, Fox. He has been for over a year."

He nodded, accepting the explanation. Although now, he had begun to accept the distinct possibility that he would be forced to remove the human from the team when all was said and done.  
"Well...thanks for telling me."

Though she leaned in ever so slightly for a quick kiss, the vulpine merely ran a hand along her cheek before briskly walking off. Ears drooping, she looked down the hallway at him...the battles were taking their toll on all of them, but he bore most of the burden...he was too exhausted to do any thinking.  
He was weakening.

= = = = =

The sands were raging. Veiled by the dust in the wind, the world was stormed with chaos. The motherland pulsed with fury, lifeless no more, threatening to tear apart any and all who walked the dunes.  
And yet, there were those who showed little regard for their lives, they dared the world, marching on. From the dust, several shadows leisurely moved through the shroud. Like specters, with each step they took shape, the form of their cloaks dancing with the wind.

The first figure clenched the hood around his face, struggling to guard his muzzle from the elements.  
The second made no effort to hide his already masked face, holding a long barrel in his hands.  
Beside him stood a frightening sentinel, lean and menacing, feline tale flickering in the wind—he bore another rifle.  
The next held an assault rifle in her hands, hesitant and fearful in all her movements.  
And the last, all too familiar with the world around them: his beak protruded into the world, sniffing out his enemies—and she clutched her weapon closely, moving deliberately through the sands. They were fearless.

Without another word, the group halted at the apex of a tall dune, laden with a slew of large stones. Tora, the second sniper, paid no acknowledgment to his companions while kneeling to the ground and setting up his weapon.

Fox took a moment to behold the scenery before him, and the others froze to gaze upon his vision. As as a mighty gust blew overhead, the dust cleared momentarily, pulling at the tail of his cloak along with it. Green eyes burning with determination, he glared ahead at the ruins they now faced. This fight was his...he was weary, but he could afford no hesitation, no weakness.  
He held a fist in the air, waving it around for the others to follow. The group fanned out, with the human slowly making his way along the bluff on Tora's flank. Again donning the visor he had used on Sauria, he stopped about five hundred yards out, adjusting his earpiece to ensure he could maintain contact with his partners. If his eye piece was working properly, he'd be able to spot anything...even through the veil...while remaining unseen.

Similarly, Falco split off with Katt while Krystal followed Fox. The two pairs were close enough to maintain steady contact; Krystal could sense any nearby presence, and the entire group would rely on that capability to remain prepared for anything. They slowly made their way towards the ruins where their target was allegedly nestled—far out of sight and with significant natural cover from anything on the ground.  
The aforementioned vixen looked back fearfully over her shoulder, in the direction of their two snipers. The storm concealed everything beyond a yard from view, so even spotting out guards—let alone two snipers—was completely useless. Fox put a reasurring hand on her shoulder, waving an arm in the direction of Falco's silhouette to guide him over. The four of them, now in line—with Falco at the rear, facing directly behind them—crept along a stone wall towards an upwards slope.

Krystal—taking point—tapped Fox on the shoulder, holding up two fingers. Fox relayed the message to Katt, who in turn sent it to Falco.  
When the quartet rounded the corner, they emerged into a large alcove shielded from the elements. A hole in the roof revealed enough light to illuminate the ruined outline of a Wolfen, where two mechanics were hard at work with repairs.  
_Well...guess that answers that..._

Krystal took cover behind the wall, relying on Katt to cover her flank while Fox and Falco disappeared into the sandstorm only to appear on the opposite side of the entrance. When they exchanged confirmation, they took position and sprayed the two workers, who immediately dropped to the ground.

"~Not exactly how I woulda done it...but if it works, why fix it, right?~"

Fox took a crouching position, rushing into the makeshift hanger to take cover behind a pile of crates. A quick glance at his Empath confirmed that they hadn't given away their presence.  
"Lance, this better be important."

"~Yeah, it is. That was WAY scenic. Try to take a more subtle approach next time...especially considering Krystal's state of mind.~"

"What does that have to do with anything?" he hissed.

"~Do you really have to ask?~"

Fox glanced over at Krystal; she was shaking violently. Though she hadn't lost her composure, this was clearly very new and very frightening.  
"~Lemme ask you...those rifles you're using. Standard Cornerian issue, right?~"

"Yeah, why?"

"~At some point, make sure she knows those things are nigh-useless as killing machines, what with that "permanent stun" setting or whatever you wanna call it. I don't think she's ever _actually_ taken a life before.~"

Fox nodded, more to himself than anyone else, and motioned for the others to form up again.  
They made their way up another flight, and Krystal pointed out another four. Planning accordingly, the group split up into two pairs, approaching the guards individually from around covers. Fox sprung out from behind a line of crates, dragging a guard from behind and plowing him straight into the ground. A swift punch to the back base of his skull knocked him out cold, giving them the green light to proceed once more.

Everything was going smoothly, and they eventually reached a high enough altitude to peak out nearly above the sandstorm. High up on the pinnacle of the ruins sat an enclosure of rock, with a single metallic prod peaking out from the top.

"There's our target, guys." Fox glanced around, crouching behind the short wall that outlined the remainder of the path. Now that the storm was clearing up at this height, they would have been highly visible if they continued on. He prodded at his ear again, opening communications with his backup.  
"Tora, Lance—you read?"

"~Loud and clear, Boss.~" Tora responded. "~Whatcha got?~"

"We're about to head up to the target, but we're gonna be out in the open. I need you and Lance to shoot down anyone that looks like they'll be able to see us."

"~You sure about that? These things are a little louder than you'd think. Not like those little popguns you're swinging around.~"

"How bad?"

"~Who knows how they'll respond? But someone's definitely gonna hear it.~"

"~Tell you what.~" Lance interjected. "~We'll keep them in our sights, and if they make any movement to fire at you, we'll take 'em out.~"

"Roger that." Fox nodded, motioning at the rest to prepare.

"~Target acquired.~"

"~Target acquired.~"

With that confirmation, Fox took off, with Krystal in tow, leaving Falco and Katt behind to guard the walkway.  
"Any news?"

"~All clear, Fox. Go ahead.~"

He glanced over to Krystal, who shook her head and motioned: "6."  
Six enemies...that was less than ideal. They'd be spotted in a heartbeat. He radioed in again.

"Lance, we're looking at six enemies guarding this thing. I don't suppose you could cover me?"

"~Look around, Fox. If I could do that I could have just sniped that thing with my new toy here. You're on your own until you come back out of that...bowl-shaped...thing.~"

"Thought so."

"~Did you give Krystal a Reflector?~"

"Yeah...is that really gonna work?"

"You got nothing to worry about."

Fox sighed heavily and nodded to his partner. The two of them took up cover behind opposite sides of the entrance. Reaching into a small leather sack at her side, Krystal pulled out some small disc-shaped devices and tossed them both through the portal.  
As soon as she did, she gave Fox an urgent look; someone had spotted the motion. Without requiring any explanation, the two emerged from cover and lit up the area, injuring one and downing another before their assault was countered by a more ferocious barrage.

"~Oh god, you guys have done it now.~" The supersonic 'crack' echoed through the air, signalling one of the snipers' first shot.  
"~They know we're here. Throw on those shields and take those guys out.~"

Fox held a hand up to Krystal, shaking his head 'no.' The two glanced around wildly until hearing two explosions—the two objects Krystal had thrown out were mines, and they had taken out...someone. Fox rushed in, met with the plume of sand and dirt the detonation had created...no one could distinguish friend or foe in the shroud, but he felt Krystal rush past him, immediately picking out the enemy's location. Easy enough for an empath, and she swept the area with surprising ease. Within seconds, she said to Fox, out loud:

"We're...we're clear."

"Good." Fox wasted no time in pulling out an explosive of his own: a small rod attached to a tiny radio device. Though small, it packed a huge punch, and it would be enough to blow this entire structure into the sky. Soon as he was done sticking the stick to the cannon, the sound of blaster and sniper fire reached his ears; everyone was busy fighting.  
"GO GO GO!"

He and Krystal sprinted out as fast as they could, dodging blaster bolts as soon as they had emerged from the mesa.  
"LANCE! TORA! WE NEED COVER, NOW!"

"~We're calling it in now!~" Lance shouted through the mic. "~Just maintain cover or fall back if you can!~"

"~Don't worry, guys, Slippy's here!~" Another voice shot out over the line, and the distant sound of his Bullfrog echoed through the air.

"Peppy! I need an update!"

"Most of them are converging on your position, but there's a small detail going after Lance and Tora. Slippy is about 60 seconds out."

"Not soon enough!"  
Fox dropped the line, immediately leaping in front of the line of fire, activating his reflector shield. Bolts blasted off in all directions, and Falco soon joined at his side to provide his own reflector. Several troops backed down after seeing their enemy's advantage, nestling behind their own cover.  
The two retreated as soon as they gained breathing room, taking cover with their respective partners.

"This is ridiculous!" Falco covered his head, twitching with every bolt that impacted his cover. "There's too many of them!"

"Just hold on! Help is on the way!"

"~EVERYONE, can you read?!~"

"Lance! We need cover!"

"~We got problems of our own, Fox, Slippy's gonna help you out in a minute.~"

"~NO! YOU'RE OTHER LEFT!~"

"~BULLSHIT, Look at his armor!~"

"What?"

"~Just focus, Boss! Maintain cover!~"

"Fox! We're being overrun!" Krystal held up a hand—unable to specify an exact number, but there were definitely a lot of them...growing by the minute.

"~Alright, now focus up on the turret!~"

"~Got it!~"  
Fox turned his gaze upwards to the sight of Slippy's Bullfrog; a literal _rain_ of small missiles carpeted the land ahead of them, deafening them with the explosion and blinding them with the flash and gale force winds. Utter chaos decimated the playing field, leaving the path open for Fox and his squad to run.

"~FOX!~" Tora was shouting over the line. "~Get down here NOW! Your landing field is clear and your Arwings are about to come in!~"

"Everybody MOVE!" Fox led the way, rushing ahead to take advantage of the dust cloud Slippy's attack had produced. The quartet weaved in and out of the cloud, every so often catching a glimpse of the faint enemy outline falling to pieces with every shot their guardian angels made. The path before them was mostly clear due to their efficiency, and they barely fired a shot on the way down. Ringing through the air, the snipers' shots grew louder, signaling that the main group had finally reached the ground again. Unfortunately for them, the veil was quickly lifting, taking away the advantage of low-visibility that they held over the enemy. No one had come into full view yet, but it was only a matter of time. Shapes were beginning to take shape further in the distance, which meant they would be equally exposed.

"Watch out!" Krystal yanked both Fox and Katt back behind a large boulder where Falco had just leaped, just in time to witness a burst of blaster fire singe the cover they had just found. Katt shrunk back at the squealing sound of the energy eating through the rock—the enemy were definitely packing high-powered energy weapons, far more lethal than anything they had chosen to carry.

"~Alright, pressure's off our shoulders now...~" reported Tora, "~but it looks like you guys have run into a few of their comrades here.~"

"Cripes!" Falco snarled. Sand kicked up all around the small group of Star Fox as blaster bolts rained down on them; any sand that came into contact with the superheated energy instantly melted. The desert battlefield quickly began to glass over as both parties exchanged hails of fire, and from his vantage point up on the bluff overlooking the firefight Lance had to activate his rifle scope's light filter; the light reflecting off of the desert floor made it difficult to distinguish targets.

"~Just keep 'em in one place, Falco, I'll do what I can from here.~"

"Neh, easy for you to say pal, but you're not the one with sand getting kicked in your face." The blue feathered avian retorted as he lowered his goggles over his face and peaked out of cover to snap off a couple of shots at the Venomian shock troops nestled behind a large rock.

"~Whats wrong? Waxing nostalgic of your days in the sandbox?~"

"Just shut up and cover me!"

"~Tora's calling it in right now.~"

"Tell him to hurry up!" Falco glanced over at Fox, who was doing two things that bothered the pheasant deeply: first of all, he was snugly clutching a shivering vixen, clearly shell-shocked—clutching the sides of her head—far too much so to handle what she had been tasked with. Though he hated to admit it, she was currently a liability to them all. Second, in spite of his comfort, he was staring up into the sky; too much time had elapsed, and enemy air support was surely getting off the ground. And with them all still grounded, it was only a matter of time before their only close air contact was downed, and the rest of them next.  
_Which means...that SLIPPY...needs to get some really good talent in the next few seconds!_

"~Hold onto something, guys!~"  
And speak of the devil, there was their salvation; Slippy once again screamed through the air, releasing a generous dose of carpet bombs on the enemy, blasting the field over with wind, shattering the glass that had slowly developed in

"~Hey, we just figured something out.~" Lance radioed in. "~If blaster fire glasses over the field, use this to your advantage to try and hinder any other troops coming your way.~"

"Gee, I coulda told you that." Falco turned around to blast off as much

"~Might take you guys a little more effort with those _pea shooters_ of yours, but it's worth a try.~" Tora responded. "~Gun and run, guys, gun and run.~"

"Thanks for the input." Fox nodded at the others, splitting them into two pairs, slowly making their way across the field, ducking from cover to cover. Several more troops came in from the top of the dune above them and on their flank. While the high ground normally would have cost them severely, these new mechanics helped them greatly: Fox took the time to apply generous blaster fire around the most strategic spots from their approach, forcing them to a crawl while Lance and Tora picked off several of them.  
Quickly growing savvy to this tactic, the troops either fell back to higher ground or adopted Fox's same hit and run technique. Their fire was more focused, but left much more room for Fox and company to maneuver.

"~You guys are almost clear, but we're running out of ammo here.~"

"Almost there!"  
Fox dashed out to draw fire from the rest of his crew, switching on his reflector as needed, letting it down only to release an occasional burst fire in the direction of their adversaries. The sand veil was now almost completely lifted, and the full force of the sun above reflected off of the glass forming in the dunes around him. He had a difficult time aiming with the glare in his eyes, but it was enough to force some of the enemies back behind their cover.

"Fox! Get over here!"  
Falco waved his arm towards the landing zone, prompting Fox to switch his reflector back on and make a mad dash for the goal. The shadow of their Arwings glided across the desert floor, landing smoothly over the top of the dune a hundred yards ahead.  
Pumping his legs wildly, Fox saw the others several yards in front, having no trouble at all keeping ahead of the rain of fire. Slippy was also rounding back in their direction, presumably having been called in to cover them one last time.

"Hurry up!" Falco stopped to help his comrade along, shooting blindly at the assailants. Slippy passed right over them, unleashing hell on the remains of the platoon overseeing the bluff, whipping sand, fire and bodies through the air.

"~Ouch...warheads on foreheads,~" mused the human "~Nice going, Slip~"

"~Heh...no problem. You guys should all be in the clear.~"

The quartet finally reached their destination, dirty, worn and out of breath. This harrowing fight was almost done.  
"Alright, everyone. You know what to do." Fox started up the Arwing, engines roaring in the wind. "Everyone, to me!"

The entire detail hopped into their respective aircraft, taking off almost as soon as the fire began again. Bolts pelted the chassis as the four of them rose into the air, blasting off in formation. Within moments, the four of them were searching for any data they could find on incoming enemies, changing weather conditions, anything that could fill them in.  
"Are you guys gonna be okay down there?"

"~Just go. We'll take care of the stragglers.~"

Fox moved on, immediately contacting Peppy.  
"Peppy, we're in the air. What's the news?"

"~The storm has died down a little bit, as I'm sure you've seen, but that only means a bigger one is on the way. You have to find Leon as soon as you can.~"

"Good. Patch ROB through to Lance and Tora. I want them in the loop, too."

"~Will do. Good luck out there, Fox.~"

Fox nodded and looked down at the radar: their timing couldn't have been more perfect. Almost a dozen fighter craft and...something very...heavy were on their way to their location, barely peeking out of the bounds of the air space.

"Here they come!" Shouted Falco. "Finally time for some good old fashioned dogfighting!"  
Falco led the charge, with the other three left in perfect sync, ready to pulverize the opposition before they would get the chance to cause trouble.

"Krystal, what's that big one in the distance? Can you feel anything?"  
Fox began readying a charge shot as soon as he got a visual ahead of him.

"~Lots...lots of minds aboard that thing. Whatever it is..." her voice was trembling, still distraught by the ordeal down on the ground.

"~Hey, little man, are you sure your girlfriend here can handle this?~" Katt blasted off ahead of the rest, firing off a smart bomb and blasting with focus and precision at the targets ahead. The smart bomb destroyed one target and clipped another, but the formation had already scrambled by the time Star Fox had arrived.  
"~She's had cold feet since we first touched down.~"

"~I'm FINE!~"  
The vixen shot back with unexpected vehemence, deliberately following the feline's movements and blasting wildly towards all enemy craft.  
"~Just worry about yourself!~"

"~Geez, girl,~" Falco mused, shooting out of a dive and tearing a few enemy fighters to shreds. "~You gotta calm down, or you're toast!~"

"Krystal, you did fine on Macbeth!" Though his words were meant for encouragement, his dread from that day resurfaced, and in fear that she would pick up on this, attempted to conceal it. "Just take a breath and shoot, and try to bring back that performance!"

His words didn't help at all, and she was still blindly whipping through the sky, forcing herself on the defensive with two enemies now tailing her. Katt quickly saved her by shooting down one of them.

"~I didn't NEED your help!~"  
The psychic pulled into a steep ascension, replaying the same tactic she had used on Panther several days ago. After several seconds, she plummeted back down, hammering the other bogey into oblivion.

"~Fox, something just came up!~" Peppy called out on the comm-link.

"What is it?"

"~The ground team reported they finally found Leon leaving the grounds, heading for that big energy signature up ahead!~"

"~Geez, the little monkey was right.~" Falco cursed, throwing another enemy by forcing him into a midair collision with another. "~That big one must be the Sargasso station if that crazed lizard is just now pulling out. He was waiting until he could make a straight run for it!~"

Fox cursed under his breath, trying to grasp the current situation.  
"Peppy, I need you to deploy our other two Arwings to the ground team's airstrip. We're done here for now."

"~Done. ROB's setting them up for extraction right now. Looks like you guys are gonna make it out before the sandstorm.~"

After glancing around the battlefield, Fox saw that Krystal was efficiently picking off nearly every enemy that came her way, almost as if she knew exactly what they were going to do, and where they were coming from at any given moment. Then again, they had specifically counted on her abilities for that.  
"Everyone, wrap it up soon, we're heading for Sargasso."

"~Roger that.~" Falco began chasing two fighters that were fleeing the field.

"~Got it, little man.~" Katt began chasing after a bogey until Krystal shot it down. "~Hey! He was mine!~"

"Krystal, what are you doing? Did you hear me?"  
No response. "Krys?"

"~What's she doin' up there?~"  
Falco spun around, only to dodge between blaster fire she had just sent his way. "~GAH! Hey, **GENIUS,** learn how to aim!~"

"~Then get out of my way!~" she shot back.

"Krystal, focus!" shouted Fox. "We gotta go!"

"~I know, I know...sorry...I just...let's go. I'm fine.~"  
The vulpine dreaded what this was doing to her mind. Sending out an empath...and the most innocent girl he had ever met...out to war. He began to regret his decision again, remembering back to Macbeth, when she was in the hospital. And then back to the derelict ship where Agatio had warped her mind...

"~Fox, listen up.~" Peppy jostled him out of his visions. "~Slippy's gonna join you guys in the fight momentarily, and the five of you are gonna have to blast away whatever air defense Sargasso has set up. After that, Lance, Tora...and whoever else you decide to send...are gonna infiltrate and do whatever we gotta do to take that station. Understand?~"

"Got it, Peppy. Are they on their way?"

"~They're still fighting to the landing zone, but their Arwings just touched down. Just make sure no fighters get in close enough range to shoot them before they make it off the ground.~"

"But they have to hurry up or else Sargasso's gonna leave the planet altogether!"

"~Just do what you gotta do, Fox. I'll maintain eyes on their actions from here.~"

"Good. We'll do what we can."  
Fox closed Peppy's window as he witnessed Slippy blaze past him once more. At this rate, the Toad was going to run out of ordinance before the ground team could lift off. Things hadn't gone to hell yet, but they were definitely frantic.  
And then his team...they were tired enough without him pushing them constantly, particularly the only one without any real experience. On top of that, she could surely sense the screams and agony of the lives she had been asked to take. He visualized her teal eyes, glossed over with tears.

If things hadn't gone far enough already, they would certainly turn sour soon enough.


End file.
